


Code Black.

by Mal_Evans



Category: Negan - Fandom, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Character(s) of Color, Consensual Sex, Developing Relationship, Explicit Language, F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Jealousy, Major Original Character(s), Minor Character Death, Negan Being Negan (Walking Dead), Off-screen Relationship(s), Older Man/Younger Woman, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), POV Third Person, Plot Twists, Public Humiliation, Revenge, Romance, Slow Burn, Unconventional Relationship, Underage Drinking, Violence, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2018-09-15 11:05:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 116,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9232073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mal_Evans/pseuds/Mal_Evans
Summary: [DISCONTINUED] After their leader makes the ultimate mistake by crossing the Saviors, four friends are left reeling when they are brought to the Sanctuary for a new life in an apocalyptic world. Negan takes an interest in Riley, a beautiful twenty year old who drives him crazy in more ways than one. However, she's not too keen on becoming a wife, believing it to be degrading. She's tough, passionate, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people she loves, even though protecting herself can cause hardships for everyone around her.





	1. CAST.

****

**RILEY TAYLOR**

**NEGAN**

**AVRIEL TAYLOR**

**BLAINE SMITH**

**STARLETT LOPEZ**

**JACKSON WALSH**

**PHOEBE LEE**

**BAILEY**


	2. 1.

**__** **RILEY TAYLOR WAS EIGHTEEN WHEN THE WORLD WAS TAKEN BY ZOMBIES TWO YEARS AGO.**

Zombies, walkers, biters, roamers, whatever you called them. She was fresh out of high school and looking forward to her college education when a mysterious illness spread and wiped out a majority of the human population. 

Riley's group consisted of five people; The oldest being Augustus, her older brother Avi, and her apocalypse buddies, Blaine and Starlett.  Riley was the baby of the group, as Starr was four months older than Riley, therefore making her the baby of the group. Unless, of course, you counted Blaine's five year old Australian Cattle Dog, Bailey. 

Before all of this shit began, Riley had hardly killed a fly in the old world. Now, two years later, she could be handed any gun or knife and she'd make great use of it. The parents of the  _Taylor_ siblings are long gone, dying many months ago on a run gone wrong, leaving them orphans.  _All_  five members are orphans; Augustus' mom died of lung cancer when he was twenty-two, Blaine's parents died at the beginning of the end, getting sick and dying before hell broke loose and the corpses started reanimating. Starr woke up one morning to find her mom eating her dad. At the time, she wasn't too familiar with how to shoot a gun, and wasted a whole round trying to shoot her father, attracting the attention of Augustus, Avi, Taylor, and Blaine who happened to be nearby and came to her rescue. Luckily Augustus joined the armed forces after the death of his mother and shooting a gun was second nature to him. He taught the others everything he knows, creating a small, deadly army.

Their travels took them from New Jersey to Virginia, where they are currently shacked up in some cabin in the woods. They were heading on day six with no incident, much to Riley's relief. One of the perks about having a dog in the apocalypse was the simple fact of having an extra set of ears for protection; Bailey had long, wide ears that rested nicely at the top of her head and seemed to pick up every single moan, creak, or breath around them. It was a common joke among the group that she had radar ears, which came in handy, of course. The area they were residing in didn't have a whole lot of activity going on, which Riley found to be extremely odd. Avi shared the same concerns, mostly worried for his baby sister's safety, but the other three were convinced they could stay there for a few weeks before heading out again. Boy, were they wrong.

The morning started out like any other; Riley and Avi were relieved from watch duty around seven AM, and proceeded to sleep for several hours before being shaken awake by Blaine. Gus remained on afternoon watch, resting his head against the only window in the living room, mostly hidden by a thick, ugly yellow curtain that had dozens of bleach stains on the fabric. A rifle resting in his lap while Bailey sat obediently at his side, watching her owner help Starr with inventory. 

"Where do you think we should go?" Riley whispered, bent over a map while shoveling a can of mandarin oranges into her mouth. Avi was helping her study it, pinpointing their location and deciding on the best route to take to bring them to Gus' hometown a few miles out West. He claimed to have a arsenal of weapons in his basement, completely locked away from the outside world and nobody would be able to access them without the combination. They wanted to get the guns and come back, but Avi believed it wasn't safe enough without a vehicle to carry all five of them, plus Bailey.

"We need to find the main road," Avi said, pointing out what he was talking about with a finger, "If we head Southwest, we'd hit our mark in a matter of time and it's pretty much a straight path all the way over.." he said, using his teeth to uncap one of their few leftover markers. He highlighted their route halfheartedly, still thinking this wasn't the smart move, but Riley didn't want to be separated from the group, and he wasn't about to let her go off without him. 

"It's four miles West," Gus answered from his post, looking over at the siblings as they rolled up the map, "If we find a car when we hit  _Stewart,_ we'd get there in no time. I live right on the border."

"And what if we don't?" Starr asked, looking up from their pile of food that was starting to become more and more scarce, "Are we just supposed to walk the whole way? Fuck that."

"We'll do what we have to do to get there," Gus said, glaring at the Latina who was more than happy to reciprocate, "And, I thought you were with me on getting my weapons?"

"I am; I just don't want to walk more than I have to, especially in this weather."

Riley couldn't help but smile, standing up from her broken chair to sit on her sleeping bag , looking up at the dank and ugly ceiling of their temporary home. Outside, she could hear a faint rumble of thunder, and Gus stood up from the window, looking at everyone, "There's a storm coming. It's dark as shit over there, maybe it will disorient any walkers nearby and they'd move away from here."

"We haven't had  _one_ walker since we've been here, do you think they can't find this place?" Blaine asked, standing up from his spot on the hardwood floor where he cracked his back, sighing in relief. There wasn't a whole lot of comfortable seating in the house, "I can't think of any other reason."

"I don't know, maybe they just wander off before they get too close.." 

Another rumble of thunder echoed in the space around them, causing the house to shake a little. Bailey's ears perked up, her body tensing before a deep, threatening growl bubbled in her throat. Blaine looked over at his dog, whistling to catch her attention, "Come on, girl, let's go outside before it starts pouring." 

"I'll come with you!" Riley said, standing up from her makeshift bed. Avi gave her a look, sighing a little and he went to their table of weapons, taking a long, sharp blade from the table and hesitantly handed it to her, "Please,  _please_ be careful."

"I will, don't worry." she said reassuringly, following Blaine out as he held open the door for Bailey. The trio walked out into the trees; the smell of rain and wet grass filling their senses as Bailey began to sniff around for a good spot to do her business. True to his word, the sky was becoming terrifyingly dark, what was once probably a few miles away was now looming over their heads; threatening and just waiting to let loose. 

"Why do you think it's such a good idea to leave?" Riley asked, keeping a close eye on their surroundings so no walkers would pop out of nowhere, "Besides the fact that we'd get more weapons; ones he may not even have."

Blaine sighed, watching Bailey sniff a dandelion, "Honestly? I don't know if I really believe him."

Riley's eyebrows raised in surprise, her long, blonde hair starting to gently sway in the wind as it became more gusty, "Then why didn't you side with Avi and I?" 

Blaine chewed on his lip, whistling softly to catch Bailey's attention, "Honestly?"

Riley nodded.

"Starr has been extremely paranoid lately. If he has guns like he says, then this will help calm her down a little. I just keep thinking that he should have told us this months ago when we first met him, why is he just now saying something about them?"

Riley had been thinking of the exact same thing, but she didn't want to speak up as they were around each other 24/7, and if Gus knew they were having doubts about trusting him, shit would blow up real quick. "I agree.. But why would he lie about it?"

"Lie about what?"

Startled, Riley swiveled around, tightening her grip on her knife. Starlett shut the door, stepping out into the open with her friends. Bailey trotted over, tongue hanging from her mouth as she rubbed affectionately against Starr's leg. Riley dropped her arm, glaring at her friend for scaring the shit out of her. "Noth-"

"We're talking about Gus."

Riley turned, now glaring at Blaine. He raised his eyebrows, giving her a look. Starr was his girlfriend and he didn't like lying to her, no matter what the cost.

"Gus is lying? What happened?" 

"We don't know if he's lying, we're just.. Not sure about this trip." Riley said, watching as the gears started turning in her head. 

"You guys are nuts, he said he had a permit to carry guns before all of this happened, why is it so hard to believe?"

"Look, we're just trying to consider the possibilities here-"

"-Guys-"

"Blaine, you're being stupid. Gus is practically family, now. Why would he risk everything we have-"

_"-Guys-"_

"We're just trying to think of a backup plan, alright?"

"GUYS!"

They turned just in time to see Riley stab a walker through the head; Bailey growling in a low, menacing manner when another came through the trees and headed straight for it's companion. Blaine yanked his knife out of his holster that looked like it came right out of an assassin movie, running and stabbing the walker cleanly through it's skull. Bailey rushed to his aid, jumping and biting the ripped sleeve of it's arm that tried to grab at him, yanking and dislocating the rotted limb right from it's body. Riley shoved the walker off of her, no longer bothered by the  _squish_ it made when it landed on it'd back.

"Is everyone okay!?" Avi asked, bursting through the front door with Gus on his heels. Riley wiped the droplets of blood from her arms, her nose crinkling in disgust. Avi rushed to her aid, checking for scratches. Gus assisted Blaine in dragging the bodies into the old fire pit, Starr taking Bailey inside to clean her fur that had a tiny bit of blood speckled around her mouth. 

"We're fine, they just came out of nowhere," Blaine panted, carelessly dropping the torso of the second walker on top of the first, wincing a little as it seemed to pack a little extra weight despite it being dead. "I wasn't paying attention, it was my fault."

"Don't be ridiculous," Gus said, clasping his hand on Blaine's shoulder in an attempt to cover the boy, "They're dead and nobody got hurt. Riley's okay?"

"I'm fine," Riley said, wrapping an arm around Avi who still seemed to be worried despite no injuries to his baby sister. "I saw the first one, I didn't even notice a second until Blaine killed it."

"Do you think there's more?" Avi asked, his eyes searching the tree line as if a herd was going to plow through. 

"If so, they'd be here in a short while," Gus said, looking up at the sky as it started to rain. "Let's get inside, and put someone on watch at the bedroom window," He said as they all filed back into the cabin, "If it rains enough, hopefully the mud will slow them down and they're making their way over. We gotta be prepared to leave in a hurry."

"What's going on?" Starr asked, still wiping a paper towel lovingly over Bailey's mouth, still sopping up the little blood droplets. 

"We're gonna gather our stuff, just in case there's more than we can handle. The storm is here, so we're gonna put someone on watch in the bedroom-"

"-I'll do it." Blaine interjected, grabbing the broken chair Riley had occupied previously and took it in the opposite room.

"Good, and I'll watch over here. Be weary of the window!" Gus called, sitting back in his chair.

"Yeah, don't get struck by lightning, your hair will frizz!" Riley called, curling up in her sleeping bag with one of the novels that had been left behind from the previous owner. 

"Fuck you!" Blaine yelled back, just as a rumble of thunder sounded overhead.

Riley just laughed.

The rest of the evening went by with no problems. The storm continued on for a few hours, through dinnertime and ended just as Blaine and Gus retired from watch and was replaced by Starr and Avi. Riley had fallen asleep right after dinner, and of course, her brother didn't want anybody to wake her up. 

When she awoke, Avi was sitting at the front window, reading a book while using one of their lanterns as a lamp. The storm had since subsided, now only raining. Since no walkers had came since earlier that day, they weren't dedicating full attention, just checking every five or ten minutes. 

"What time is it?" Riley asked, her voice groggy as she sat up, a worn, dust smelling blanket falling into her lap. Gus looked over at the table, a map spread in front of him as he observed the young adult. "If my watch serves me correctly it's just after eight."

Riley felt a warm body plop down next to her. Turning, she saw Bailey lay beside her, rolling on her belly with a smile on her face. Riley giggled, stroking her head as the Blue Heeler whined and made content noises at the extra attention. "Did she eat?" Riley asked as Blaine came from outside, his hair went and his hands buttoning his jeans. 

"Yeah, she had the rest of the dog food. We need to look when we head out again." Avi said, moving the curtain to take another peek, "Blaine, did you see anything?"

"No, it's practically desolate out there. If there were more the thunder either steered them off or they're having trouble walking, our path is flooding."

"Hopefully this shit lets up, then. That's the path we need to keep us on a straight path to our destination. If we don't have it we have to detour." 

Riley laid her head on Bailey's belly, sighing a little. If her calculations were correct, this was the first rain they've had in almost two weeks, and mother nature seemed to be making up for lost time. She loved the rain now as much as she did before everything happened, but she knew that Gus was right. All of their supplies were still packed away in case of an emergency, and based on the weather, it might not be the walkers that chase them out of their temporary safe haven. 

"We've got a walker!" Starr said, coming from her post. Gus cursed, standing up from his seat. He grabbed a knife, storming to the front door where he swung it open, busting his ass when he ran out to take care of it, leaving the door wide open.

From her spot, Riley had a perfect view, seeing as Gus kicked the walker down, stepping on the hand that tried to grab his leg even as he fell on it's side. He stabbed it in the head, yanking the knife out before kicking it's back. He bent down, wiping the blade on it's clothes before running inside, completely soaked while he shut the door.

"I thought you said there was nothing out there?" he panted, carelessly tossing the knife back where it belonged, reaching in the cupboard for one of the few hand towels left behind.

"It stumbled through the bushes just as he came in," Starr said, defending her boyfriend on instinct. "I heard him come in, and then it just appeared out of nowhere.."

"Well, now I'm soaked.."

Riley rolled her eyes, lifting her head from Bailey's torso as she scrambled to her feet, darting to Blaine to affectionately lick his hand. 

___

Riley woke up to the rough, intimidating growls from Bailey.Sitting up from her sleeping bag, she glanced around the room to see everybody in their sleeping bags, with the exception of Gus who was asleep at his post. It was supposed to be Riley's turn to keep watch, but he had insisted they all catch up on sleep and he'd be able to handle it for a few hours before waking someone up to take over. Bailey was laying between Blaine and Starr, her ears on high alert as she seemed to stare off into the darkness. One of the lamps was on low, a soft, gentle glow barely filling the whole room. 

"Gus," Riley hissed, looking around at her sleeping companions to see none of them are awake.  _"Gus!"_

Nothing.

"Shit," Riley said, scrambling out of her bag, stalking over to Gus where she smacked his head.

"God!-" he yelled, his legs kicking thin air as the shock of being hit woke him up, falling off of the chair. 

"You  _idiot!_ You're not supposed to fall asleep!" Riley hissed, mindful not to wake up the others. "How long were you asleep!?"

"Hell if I know! Damn, girl, you can really pack a punch.."

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Bailey began to growl.

".. What was that?" Riley asked, watching as Bailey stood up, the hairs on her body standing up it seemed. Avi began to stir, tiredly lifting his head to look around, his eyes finding Bailey first, then Riley and Gus. "What's going on?" he asked, lifting himself from his makeshift bed. 

"Open the fuck up!" 

Bailey began to bark as soon as they heard the voice on the other side of the door. Angry, loud knocking began and the other two shot up from their beds, eyes wide and panicked. Avi scrambled out of his bag, Gus running to the table where he grabbed their only remaining rifle. 

"We know you assholes are in there, this is your warning to let us in without getting hurt!" 

 _"Bailey."_ Blaine hissed, addressing his pet as she was still growling.  _"Quiet!"_

Riley was frozen in place, though she felt Avi grab her arm, roughly pulling her away from the window and onto the ground. 

"I'm gonna count to three, and if this door isn't open when I finish you're gonna regret it!"

Suddenly, bright, white lights flooded the window, lighting the whole room and temporarily blinding everyone. Riley was forced on her knees, Avi shushing her and whispering, "If 'they come in, don't be a hero."

_"One!"_

"What do we do!?" Starr asked, watching in horror as Gus aimed the rifle at the door, shooting it before anyone could object.

The loud, echoing gunshot traveled through the house. Riley's ears rang, very briefly. A bullet hole was now in their front door, and it was silent. Deadly silent. Riley stared in shock, watching as Gus lowered the weapon (stupidly, she might add) and stood up straighter, watching the door. 

Suddenly, the door was kicked open and then one, two, three..  _Six_ men came barreling through the now open doorway, all carrying large, intimidating guns that could pump a few pieces of lead into you with just a nudge of a finger. Avi was forced away from Riley, cursing when a large, dark-skinned man grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up, making her cry out. Bailey began to bark, running to Blaine who was being wrestled to the floor by someone who was a just a little heavier than him. Starr was practically dragged outside, screaming more at the man holding down Blaine than the guy actually pulling her. 

"Shut that mutt up!" one of them said, but Riley didn't see who, too busy trying to keep her balance while whoever had a hold of her dragged her behind Starr, pulling them out into the soaked land before disposing them on their knees, roughly shoving them forward. Mud splashed on their hair, face, and clothes, Riley using her hands to support her body when Avi was dropped beside her, followed by Blaine, and then Gus was practically thrown down.

"Riley-" Avi heaved, a little blood dripping from his temple. He must have been hit. "Are you ok-"

"Shut up," a tall, lanky man with a rather.. Interesting mustache stood in front of them, glaring at Avi with a menacing look. "I don't know if you guys are stupid or  _what,"_ he said, walking along the line they were sitting in. Riley stared at the ground, the lights practically blinding her. "Who is the asshole who shot at me?"

Nothing.

The mystery man chuckled, and Riley could see his boots stopping right in front of Avi, barely in her line of vision. "Hello? Cat got your tongues?"

"It was me, asshole," Gus spat, blood dripping from his mouth. Riley looked up, looking at him as it trailed from his lips onto his jeans. It looked like he got punched in the mouth. "I shot at ya, I have people to protect." 

The man walked over, a large, sort of goofy smile on his face. He stood in front of Gus for a moment, grinning. Riley's heart was pounding in her chest, and she could hear Starlett sniffle a few spots away. Blaine gasped a little, watching as the same man who attacked him led Bailey in front of them all on her leash. Riley sniffed, watching as the dog whined, staring directly at Blaine. The man stood silently, hand holding the leash and the gun hanging over his shoulder, his face giving nothing away.

"What's your name?" asked mystery man.

Gus spat, purposely aiming for his boot, "Gus."

"Gus.. Gus? Well, Gus. I'm Simon, and you're the whole reason we're here!"

_... huh?_

"Yeah, you all can thank  _Gus_ here for all of this hubbub," Simon said, addressing the rest of the group. They all shared looks, Avi looking horrified while Blaine and Starr looked confused, Riley right there with him. "And I have someone that's gonna tell you  _exactly_  what it was the dumbass did. He's the leader, see. And your life is about to be turned upside down."

Riley's breathing increased, watching as Simon gave all of them another glance over before he turned, making the large group of guys Riley had just noticed part to make way for him. The tree line in front of their cabin didn't start for a few hundred feet, and the dirt path that was once flooding was now just cold and damp. There was a decent sized Jeep waiting, the windows tinted and from her spot, it would be hard to see inside anyway. Simon knocked on the window, moving out of the way when it swung open. 

 A tall, thin, yet muscular man stepped out of the Jeep, wearing a snug leather jacket and dark jeans. His hair was slicked back, a red scarf wrapped around his neck. Seeing it made Riley realize that she was shivering; it was cold as hell. On instinct, she reached over and touched Avi's hand. They glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes briefly before returning their attention to the.. Leader.

He walked towards them, leaving the door wide open for someone else to close. Riley's eyes drifted to his hand, where he held a wooden baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. She swallowed, feeling absolute fear creeping up on her as if to say  _boo._

"Well, well, well," the leader said, swinging the bat around to rest it on his shoulder. A large grin was plastered to his face, taking long strides until he was only a few feet in front of them. "Look at what we have here," He stopped, looking at the five survivors who seemed to looking at his bat more than the man himself. "Which one of you is the leader?"

The group looked at each other, unsure of what to say. They had never really talked about assigning a leader; all five members had equal say and they didn't place ones opinion above the others. Riley saw Avi start to speak, but thankfully was interrupted by the man who was supposedly the reason why they were in this predicament in the first place. "M-me. I'm the leader."

The tall, intimidating..  _Handsome_ man looked at Gus, still smiling even though there was nothing to smile about. Once again, he swung the bat around, holding it in his hand when he went to stand in front of Gus. "You're the leader?"

Gus didn't say anything, only nodding. Avi was quiet, too quiet for his character and if  _he_  was scared, they were in deep shit and they wouldn't be getting out of this on their own, whatever the hell it was.

"What's your name?"

"Gus." Simon said, answering for him as he stood behind the unnamed man, standing in Riley's line of vision. 

"Well,  _Gus._  I'm Negan. And I  _do not_  appreciate you stealing my shit."

Riley and Blaine shared a look, wondering what the hell  _Negan_  was talking about. Riley bit her lip, feeling Avi squeeze her hand in an attempt to comfort her. All she could do was focus on the scary as shit man in front of her; her eyes refusing to look away. She didn't know if it was because he was so intimidating or if it was simply because he was attractive. 

"And by the looks on everyone else's faces," Negan continued, gesturing to them with his free hand, "They have no idea what the fuck I'm talking about. How about you fucking enlighten them,  _boss_?"

Gus stuttered, looking around at his family from the past six months, "I-I don't know what he's talking about."

Negan stared, looking at Gus in disgust with a hint of an  _'are you kidding me'_   expression on his face. He walked forward, pointing the bat in his face. Riley's eyes got big, feeling her lips trembling in fear. "Don't fucking play games with me. If you're not going to tell them, I will be more than fucking happy to."

Gus remained silent.

"All fucking right," Negan said, swinging the bat back to rest on his shoulder. He turned, walking the line.  _"Gus_ over here completely fucked you guys over. Two of my men are dead, and three of my guns are stolen. Did you find them?" Negan asked, addressing his men.

"Right here, boss." A man said, carrying their rifle and two handguns that Gus had claimed to find in one of the stores they went to on their last run. "The exact three we're missing."

"Fan-fuckin-tastic," Negan said, watching as his men carried the weapons over and placed them in a truck that Riley just now realized was there. There were four cars waiting, their headlights on, giving the entire area light. She must be extremely out of it. "Your man  _Gus killed_ my men on the side of the road, and took their weapons. And we caught him  _red-fucking-handed_. Their weapons.. are  _my_ fucking weapons, therefore he stole from me, and that shit does  _not_  fly!"

"I-it wasn't me!" Gus said, showing the entire group he was cracking, and fast, "I never stole from any-"

"Don't fucking lie to my face," Negan said, once again pointing his weapon in Gus' face. After a moment he grinned, straightening his posture, licking his lips. "You see this?" he asked, gesturing to his bat, "This is  _Lucille._ And it's been a few days since someone has been given the honor of meeting her first hand.."

Riley heard Starr start to cry, and she hesitantly released Avi's hand, wanting to stand up and scream at Negan to leave them alone, to take their guns and leave. He didn't seem to notice her at all, and it kind of pissed her off. 

"Now," Negan said, glaring at Gus, "Tell me the truth and I may consider letting you live."

Gus sniffed, a tear falling down his cheek. Riley stared, almost positive that he would admit his fault and be done with it. He started to speak, but paused. He looked at Avi, then Riley, then Blaine, and finally rested on Starlett. He shook his head, before turning his full attention to Negan. ".. I didn't do it."

Negan sighed, turning his back to them and walking a few steps, rubbing his gloved hand over his face. He stood there, faced away from them and the simple act caused Riley's heart to kickstart once again. There was a long-haired blond man standing beside Simon, a crossbow in his hand and he seemed to be staring right at Riley. She noticed the right side of his face appeared to be burned, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. 

"You know, for a leader you sure are a  _fucking pussy_."

Riley swallowed, watching as Negan turned around, observing the group individually. His eyes scanned Gus, Avi, before landing on her. Riley's eyes widened, suddenly wishing she didn't think of how he never looked at her until now. Negan stared, his eyes traveling down her face, before slowly observing her body and the mess of mud that now coated her face, arms, and clothes. Negan seemed to be in a trance, but snapped out of it and his eyes shot to Blaine, then Starr. 

Negan walked forward, his eyes doing another sweep before turning direction and moved to stand right in front of Riley. She felt Avi tense beside her, his eyes not once leaving the man who moved to kneel right in front of his sister. Riley swallowed, keeping her eyes trained on the ground in front of her. She felt a gloved hand gently touch her chin, nudging her head up so she'd look at him. Negan smiled, his salt and pepper beard temporarily distracting her. He watched her quietly, ignoring the way her breathing continued to speed up. "And what's  _your_ name, sweetheart?"

Riley swallowed, her tongue darting out to wet her dry lips. Negan's eyes glanced down, watching it before returning his attention back to her face. He continued to grin, his dark eyes practically twinkling while he observed her. "Riley.." she whispered, noting that Avi hadn't relaxed since he approached her. 

"Riley," he said, testing it out. He liked the sound of that. "Pardon my French, but you look  _shitty_."

_... Was that supposed to be a compliment?_

Riley glared.

"So," he continued, still smiling, but now she had the urge to smack it off. "What do you think about coming back with me," he said, letting his tongue dart out to lick his bottom lip, "And abandoning this pathetic getup and actually making a damn life for yourself?"

Riley blinked, wondering if he was actually serious. She heard Avi shuffle nervously beside her, and she knew he desperately wanted to say something; to tell Negan to fuck off but with all of the guns staring them in the face, that wouldn't be the best idea. Also one of the reasons she refrained from smacking him.

"Come on, darlin', cat got your tongue?" Negan asked, an eyebrow raising as he waited for an answer.

"Um.."

"Hmm? What was that?" he asked, cupping a hand over his ear, motioning for her to speak up. "I didn't quite catch that."

"I.."

"Why should she?" Blaine asked, interrupting her before she could get a word out. Much to her horror, Negan turned his attention to the boy beside her and began to tap the head of Lucille into the ground a few times.

"And who in the fuck are you?"

Blaine swallowed, his curly, dark hair blowing gently in the wind, "Blaine, Blaine Smith."

"Well, Blaine, I guess I gotta explain some shit before I get an answer from this pretty lady here," he said, sending her a wink before he stood up, once again pacing back and forth. "Now that dumbass over there fucked up,  _you_ guys," he said, pointing Lucille from Starlett all the way to Avi. Riley tried to ignore the fact that he skipped over Gus. "Work for  _me._ Half your shit is mine-"

"-They don't have a whole lot, boss. You're better off taking all of it." One of the men said, though Riley was unsure who as she was too busy watching Negan. He didn't look too happy about being interrupted, but he smiled and continued on, "I will take  _half_ of your shit, and you will work for me and give me _more_ shit in exchange for protection. Now, you can choose to stay in this dump, or.." he said, dragging out the word longer than necessary, "You can come and live with  _me._ Well, not me personally but in my compound. I extend the invitation to you, especially, sweetheart," he said, grinning at the tiny, blonde-haired girl kneeling in front of him. "So.. What will it be?"

Riley could feel all eyes on her, and she swallowed, slowly turning her head to look at Avi. He stared back at her, worry in his eyes and she knew that the decision was entirely up to her; her brother couldn't help her now. Riley felt a boost of confidence, sitting up straighter to watch Negan, the leader who didn't seem so intimidating to her now. Off in the distance, a rumble of thunder could be heard, signaling another storm was coming. 

Her confidence amplified, Riley spoke; her voice loud and demanding, "On one condition."

Negan continued to smile, a chuckle leaving him. It was low, rough, and.. Attractive. "And what would that condition be, sweetheart?"

Riley took a deep breath, silently praying that she could hold onto this spark of courage, not wanting to make a fool of herself. "They get to come too, no funny business."

Negan watched her, seeming to let what she said sink in before once again licking his lip, smiling, "I am a man of my fucking word," he said, highly amused that this tiny thing seemed to have more balls than half of his men. "If they want to come, then so fucking be it. If not, well.. That's their mistake."

"We'll come," Avi said, speaking for the first time since they get ambushed, "Just  _stop_  this."

Negan's eyebrows shot up, observing the human form of Jesus Christ in all his glory, "I wouldn't be fucking standing here if somebody didn't fucking overstep his boundaries," he said, letting Lucille swing by his side, the barbed wire glinting from the headlights, "And don't think I didn't see that little bit of hand holding you two were doing," he said, smirking at the siblings, "What's the story there?"

"H- He's my.."

"Your what?"

".. He's family."

Negan didn't say anything, just watched them quietly for a moment before he nodded, putting his bat against his shoulder. "Well, I don't know about you bastards but I'm fucking exhausted. Time to get this show on the fucking road!" he said.

Riley saw from the corner of her eyes more men coming from their cabin; their belongings in their grasp. She saw Simon carrying her backpack, and she felt a pang in her chest that she couldn't ignore, "No, don't take that!" she cried out, struggling to catch her footing in the mud. Her socked feet slid against the wet land, and she felt Avi grab her arm, "Riley, stop!" he said, groaning when she punched his arm. 

"Hold the fuck up," Negan said, lifting a hand to pause the men carrying their stuff, "Darlin', I do not appreciate you yelling at my men. That is  _my_  job," he said, watching as she struggled in Avi's grasp, Blaine holding her other arm. "What is it that is so important to you?"

"My backpack," she gasped, finally giving up on trying to escape the lineup and get her stuff. "Don't take it,  _please_." 

Negan stared, a look on his face that Riley couldn't identify. He sighed, swinging his bat, gesturing for Simon to come over. Simon handed one of the men a bag of their food, swinging her bag in his other hand and came over, handing it to Negan. Negan took it from him, holding it by one of the straps as he observed the dirty baby blue  _JanSport_ bag. He licked his lips, walking forward, holding it out for her to take.

Riley stared at it, almost terrified to take it. Whatever confidence boost she had earlier was gone, now replaced with vulnerability as she had personal belongings in that bag. Anything from pictures, books, little pieces of her old life that had no business becoming somebody else's property.

Riley reached forward, her hand shaking when she grabbed the strap; her fingers briefly touching his hand. It was warm and soft. She took it, clutching it to her chest. Avi took her free hand, watching as Negan whistled to his men, turning his back towards them.

Simon and the blond man with the burned face came over, grabbing Gus from his spot. They heaved him up, ignoring his curses and protests. They dragged him forward a few feet, forcing him back on his knees in front of Negan. 

"You know, Gus. It's three o'clock in the fucking morning and I am tired as shit. But you and I aren't exactly through yet," Negan said, grinning down at the shaking man. "So, in order for me to get back to my fucking home, we need to get to the finish line."

At the realization of what was about to happen, Gus' group began to protest. In horror, Riley watched silently as Negan raised Lucille above his head after giving her a few practice twirls, slamming it down on top of Gus' skull.

Riley was never queasy when it came to blood, guts, or anything for that matter. But seeing Gus become nothing but smushed, bloody..  _smush_ _,_   it made her feel dizzy and sick to her stomach. She could hear crying, whimpering, and even the angry barks of Bailey who was still being held onto by Riley's captor. Her vision blurred, and it took her a second to realize she was silently crying. She couldn't see anything but the blurred headlights, and then her hearing began to distort; Avi spoke her name, and she was almost positive she heard the man in front of her say,  _"You may still be alive if you weren't such a fucking pussy excuse for a leader."_

Before she could register anything else, Riley slumped forward, losing consciousness. The group then began to panic; Blaine rolling her onto her back, wiping the mud that was now caked to her face. Avi gently patted her cheeks, trying to wake her up.

She remained unconscious as Negan's men grabbed the rest, ignoring their protests and cries as they were taken away.

Riley's bag was picked up, one of the straps sliding over his shoulder, before hoisting her up into his arms bridal style. Negan ignored the mud that was now smeared on his torso and hands, instead carrying her over to the Jeep he had arrived in, ordering Simon to lay one of the blankets down in the backseat. Simon rushed, throwing the same blanket Riley had been curled up with over the leather seating, stepping aside so Negan could step forward and gently place the girl down on top of it.

"When we get back, throw the other three in a cell until morning. They are not to be harmed.  _This one_ is staying with me." Negan said, grinning down at the sleeping girl who was still unconscious.


	3. 2.

**RILEY WOKE UP IN A VERY UNFAMILIAR PLACE.** Her head was resting on a firm, comfy pillow, something she had been missing out on for a very long time. Her lips were beyond dry, and her throat parched, making it worse. Riley slowly sat up, feeling the muscles in her back and legs start to ache, probably partially from being forced to kneel for the long period of time she had to mixed with the wrestling she did with Avi and Blaine. The events of last night all came back to her: Gus was dead, her friends and her brother's whereabouts were unknown, and their stuff was taken. Her eyes trailed over to a chair sitting in the corner, her dirty backpack sitting on top of it. 

The room she was in wasn't huge, but not cramped. There were no windows, but a little nightlight was plugged in on the wall above the counter, allowing some light. She was in a hospital bed; the back slightly raised, making her pretty comfortable. There was a line of counters and shelves, all clean and Riley could see what was probably medication, wraps, and band-aids sitting in the shelves. Were they in a hospital?

The door suddenly opened, startling her. Riley jumped, seeing an older man wearing a doctor's jacket come in, looking at something on a clipboard. He was tall, had light brown hair with a receding hair line, and a clean shaven face. He glanced up, surprised to see her awake. "You're awake."

Riley swallowed, watching as he shut the door. He flicked on the light, almost blinding Riley as she hadn't been prepared. "I-I'm awake.."

The doctor placed the chart on one of the counters, reaching into the little pocket on his jacket to pull out a flashlight. "Follow my finger," he said, clicking it on and raising a finger, waving it back and forth in front of her face. She obliged, following the long, pale digit like instructed. He seemed pleased, clicking off the light and tucking it back in his pocket, "You seem to be doing fine. We had one of our female caregivers clean you up upon arrival, and you have a few bruises on your face and a cut on your cheek. When you fell unconscious, you must have scratched it on a rock or something else that was sharp. No infection," he said, going to the counter to write something on the piece of paper stuck there.

"I was a little concerned because of all the mud that was all over you, but you're doing great." he said, walking back and carefully examined her hair, letting his fingers trail over the back of her head, checking for bumps. "Do you remember anything? Besides your name, obviously," he said, giving her a small smile.

Riley's mouth was so dry, her voice cracked when she spoke, "Um.. I remember.." she paused; the last thing she remembered was seeing Negan bludgeoning Gus' head. "Your leader killed my friend," she said, her tone cold and flat, "That's the last thing I remember."

The doctor was silent, probing the top of her head and then her forehead with his fingers. Riley saw his name-tag read  _Carson._ "According to my _leader,"_ Carson said, finally removing his hands from Riley's face when he was satisfied in not finding any bumps. "That's when you passed out. I don't know if he saw it himself or from word of mouth," he said, before sighing, "Do you have any pain?"

"My head hurts a little.."

"Well, I can give you some medication for the pain, but it will cost ya-"

"Not this time, Carson," a deep, rough voice said out of nowhere, "Give her whatever she needs, I'm not charging points."

Riley and Carson turned their attention to the door, to see a smiling Negan standing in the doorway; dressed in his leather jacket and a white t-shirt, Lucille limply hanging by his side. He straightened up, smiling at her as he came in, shutting the door behind him. Riley didn't even hear him open it to begin with, "What's the verdict, Doctor?" he asked, licking his lips. Riley's skin crawled, in disgust  _and_  pleasure.

"No concussion, no bumps, her vitals are good. A little pain, but that won't last long," he said, going over to one of the shelves and taking a bottle of off-brand  _Ibuprofen._ "No memory loss, either."

"That's fantastic, Carson," he said, swinging his bat around, placing it on the same chair that was holding Riley's bag. "Carson treating you well, darlin'?" he asked, turning his attention on the pretty blonde laying on his hospital bed, "Be honest, don't be scared." he said, flashing her his brilliant white teeth.

This was the same man who killed Gus. Someone she didn't necessarily love, but he was her friend, and he was dead because of  _Negan_. "He was nice." she said flatly, not wanting to say anything else on the subject.

Negan nodded, a look in his eyes that Riley didn't understand. He turned his attention to Carson who was putting some medication in a tiny bag for her to take. "Don't be stingy," he said, talking to the doctor's back, "Give her enough to last a few days."

"Where are my friends?" Riley asked, once again catching Negan's attention, "And my brother. Are they hurt?" she asked, not only worried for their safety but also hoping he kept his end of the bargain and didn't take her without them.

"Your friends," Negan began, walking towards her. He raised his hand, causing Riley to flinch on instinct. He froze, his hand hesitating before he carefully touched the bandaid that rested over the cut on her cheek. "Are fine. They've been examined by Carson here," he said, gesturing towards the doctor who was watching them with a neutral expression on his face, "And they've been placed in housing-"

"My brother- what about him?"

Negan grinned, chuckling at her expense. He had since dropped his hand from her face, moving even closer, making her eyes widen a bit, "Your  _brother_  is fucking fine. I would have explained that if you didn't fucking interrupt," he said, leaning his face in a little too close to comfort for Riley's liking. "They're getting a nice little introduction to how shit works around here, and if Dr. Carson over there thinks it's safe, I'm gonna give you a  _very.._ personal tour myself."

Riley's gut twisted, unsure of how she felt about being alone with this man. All she wanted was to see her brother, to see Blaine and Starlett and make sure they are truly okay. Negan stared at her, watching as the look of uncertainty that crossed her features morphed into a look of worry with a slight hint of disgust. Negan knew that when she saw him kill that pussy bastard Gus, any trust she could have put forth in him was gone. It was going to take a shitload of work to get her to remotely trust him even a little. 

"I bet you're fucking thirsty as shit," he said, turning his attention back to Carson, "Carson, get her something to drink, please. Juice, water, whatever."

"Yes, sir." Carson said, leaving the bag of Ibuprofen on the counter, hurriedly exiting the room. 

"I wanna see Avi."

Negan raised his eyebrows, "Avi? That's his name?" he asked, a chuckle escaping him, shaking his head, "Wow, that Jesus Christ looking dude is named  _Avi_ _?"_

Riley glared, trying to figure out what was so funny about her brothers name, "That's his nickname, it's actually Avriel." 

"Oh, pardon me," he said, giving her that  _'oh, i'm so scared'_ look, "Didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Princess."

"You're kind of an ass."

Negan only laughed, taking that one last step that practically pushed his chest into her shoulder. Riley bit her lip, staring down at her lap, though Negan's face that was hovering right over hers was making it hard not to look at him. "Darlin', I am doing you and your friends a  _mighty_  fucking favor," he said, looking down at the mess of blonde curls that was lingering right under his nose. The girl was small, peaking at either 5'3 or 5'4, but being in the high hospital bed placed her higher on Negan's 6'2 frame. Negan had ordered his wife Sherry to clean her up after Carson examined her last night, washing her hair, running a damp rag over her arms, face and neck to remove all of the caked mud. "We cleaned you up, and I am going to be offering you some world class fucking protection, therefore I expect some  _respect_ from you."

Riley didn't say anything, only continued to stare at her lap. Negan stared down at her, continuing on, "I may not be a total fucking gentlemen myself, but if you're wanting to stay off my bad side, you will hold onto those balls you showed to me last night and suck it the fuck up, Riley  _Taylor_."

Riley gasped, finally looking up at him. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face. He smirked, licking his lips. "How do you know my last name?"

"It's high noon, Riley. I had the chance to get reacquainted with your brother."

"But you didn't ask what his name was?" she asked, referring to his reaction to her saying his name, "Isn't that the first step in getting to know somebody?"

Negan laughed, throwing his head back just as Carson returned back, holding a bottle of juice with a straw sticking out of it. He paused at the sight of Negan standing so close to Riley. "Err, here you go, hun." he said, coming forward and handing her the bottle, "I forgot to mention that your blood sugar was low upon arrival last night, so I hooked you up to the IV for a few hours. Now that you're awake, drink this and make sure to see me again tomorrow."

"Carson, how could you possibly forget to tell our guest that important fucking information?"

"I'm sorry, sir."

Negan gave the doctor a look of disapproval, stepping back from Riley who was nervously watching the two men, sipping from the apple juice. Her favorite. "Darlin', get out of that bed and let me show you around," Negan said, giving her a dimpled grin, "If that's alright with you, doc?"

Carson nodded, folding his hands behind his back, "If Riley feels well enough to walk.."

"Excellent!" Negan said, giving her a wink, "What do you say, sweetheart?"

Riley sipped her juice, her eyes focused in on the cute dimples that formed whenever he smiled. Why she was having thoughts like that about this man in front of her, was unknown. He killed her friend and kept changing the subject when she brought up wanting to see everyone else. Negan stared at her, his eyebrows raising as he was awaiting an answer, while Carson nervously shifted from behind him. She felt fine, a little tired, but lately she's dealt with much worse. If she accepted, maybe he'd finally take her where she really wanted. "Okay.." she said, nodding a little. 

"Good. Let's go, got a lot of shit to see." he said, grabbing Lucille from her spot on the chair. Riley threw the thin blanket off her body; revealing a long sleeved black shirt and dark jeans that looked relatively new but were a little too loose for her liking. But clothes were clothes, and she'd take whatever was given. She spotted her shoes under the chair, and she wasted no time in slipping them on over her socked feet. After a brief hesitation, she unzipped the front pocket of her bag, pulling out her thick, black framed glasses, sliding them over her eyes. 

"Might as well bring it," Negan said, swinging the door open, pausing at the sight of her glasses. He cleared his throat, his eyes sliding to the pills left on the counter, "Take those with you." he said, before leaving the room.

Riley scrambled, placing the bottle on the counter before tossing the bag of pills in the open pocket of her bag. She zipped it shut, before sliding the straps of her bag over her shoulder, grabbing her drink. "Uhh, thanks.." she said, addressing Carson.

"No problem. See me tomorrow at three."

She nodded, lowering her head as she stepped out of the room and into the unknown.

___

Negan had led her through the long, gray hallway to the stairwell that only allowed them to go up.They were in the basement of the building, which made Riley curious as to where they were actually staying and how many floors there actually were. Negan was silent, joyfully swinging Lucille as Riley followed beside him, her eyes darting everywhere there was to look, ignoring the slight unease she felt just by being alone with him. 

"I gotta say, kid," Negan began as they climbed the first set of stairs, "You're one of the quietest people I know."

Riley glanced up at him, squeezing her fingers around her drink, "What is there to say? It's not like we'd have much in common, plus I doubt you'd give a shit anyway."

Negan barked a laugh, only making her mad. "You know, every time you say a fucking curse word I want to laugh because you are the  _opposite_  of fucking intimidating."

"It seems like every other word  _you_ say is a curse word," Riley said, fighting the urge to roll her eyes, "I hope you don't have any kids running around here."

"And why the hell not?"

Riley stopped, causing him to walk ahead of her a few paces before he stopped, turning to look at her. She gazed at him, her eyes narrowing a bit. ".. You have a bad vocabulary, it would rub off on them."

Negan chuckled darkly, swinging Lucille up on his shoulder. "Is it rubbing off on you?"

Riley glared, shaking her head, "No."

"My grammar isn't the only thing I could rub on you, sweetheart."

Riley blinked, taken by surprise at how crude he could be. "Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" she said, the words coming out faster than she could stop them. Negan stared, either surprised or just too busy killing her in his head, one of the two. He licked his bottom lip, walking toward her, dropping Lucille down to his side. Riley held her breath, staring at his leather clad arm that was right in front of her. 

"You know, I ain't gonna lie, you're hot as  _hell_ ," he said, the same smirk plastered on his face, "But your attitude is a  _major_   turn off," he said, his suddenly loud voice causing her to jump. "Now, I already told you that I demand respect from you, and if this is what you think passes of as so, you are  _most certainly_  wrong."

Riley lost the battle, her eyes flickering up to meet his. The smirk was gone, now replaced with a hard stare. Though when she looked at him, his lips twitched at the corners, "Now, I usually don't give a shit if I offend people; I could care less if I make a grown-ass man cry for being an asshole. But I'm feeling  _very,_  very good today. And because of that, I apologize."

Riley looked at him in disbelief and confusion, watching for any signs of a surprise  _'just kidding'_ that he'd throw in her face, but it never came. Instead, he smiled, _again._ His tongue darting out just a tiny bit.

"So, what do you say? Apology accepted?"

Riley wrinkled her nose, lowering her eyes before speaking, "This obsession you have with licking your lips is really weird, just saying."

Negan stared, still grinning and she heard him chuckle, a large hand clamping onto her shoulder, "I don't know what it was, Riley, but my dick just got hard." he said, enjoying the way her eyes practically bulged out of her head, "Wanna help me take care of it?" he asked, sending her a wink.

Riley shrugged his hand off her shoulder, brushing past him, letting her shoulder roughly hit his arm. It hurt, but she wasn't about to show him that, especially not now. "You're disgusting."

"Ahh, but you didn't say no," he said, and Riley could hear him following her, even though she had absolutely no idea where she was going. "Not saying no means you're still deciding."

Riley scoffed, glancing behind her at his stupid, happy smiling face, "Maybe if you didn't kill Augustus I'd actually consider it. So yeah, maybe I am."

"That asshole deserved it," Negan said, his tone changing from joyful to completely serious, "If he fessed up to what he did, that fucker would still be alive. But no, he pussied out and signed his own death warrant."

"So you're saying that if he would have admitted to it, you would have spared him?" Riley asked, pausing in her steps to whirl around and face him, some of her juice spilling onto the floor.

"He'd be alive, but he would still get a fucking punishment. Maybe an iron to the face, or  _maybe_  I'd change shit up for once and cut off his fucking hand!" he said, stepping forward as an attempt to intimidate her; having a woman unafraid to stand up to him was exciting yet infuriating at the same time. "The way shit works around here is that no crime goes unpunished. I gave him the chance to grow some balls, but the dumbass didn't take the bait, and for  _that,_ " he said, and Riley could feel him gently press the head of Lucille to her stomach, "Well for that he fucking paid. You can be pissed at me all you want, sweetheart, but it's not going to bring that asshole back."

Riley looked down, indeed seeing Lucille pressed to her stomach. It was barely enough to hurt, but just enough to know she was there. Riley wasn't sure what he was threatening, exactly, but she wasn't about to crumble and give him that satisfaction. "You don't scare me anymore, Negan," she said, lifting her head to look at him. "I may have been last night, but not anymore. I see one of your leading tactics is scaring the shit out of people, and we haven't even left this damn building yet!"

Negan dropped Lucille; actually  _dropping_ her onto the floor, before he reached up and yanked the bag off of her shoulders. It happened so fast that Riley couldn't comprehend it, and then her juice was taken from her hand and tossed to the floor. A hand was placed on her shoulder, twirling her around and shoving her into the wall, her cheek smacking against the concrete uncomfortably. She grunted, feeling his chest press into her back.

"You are making it extremely hard not to fucking kill you," he said, snarling in her ear. "Nobody talks to me that way, and if they do, they die. I'm trying to be nice and go easy on your ass, but if you continue to keep this shit up, you're going to _regret_  it. This is your last goddamn warning, and I am not fucking kidding."

Riley shivered, her eyes squeezing shut as his grip on her shoulders tightened, pressing her further into the wall. Negan's chest was still pressed into her back, and she could feel something hard pressing against her backside. At the realization that he was indeed aroused, Riley's face turned red. "Get off of me."

Negan hummed, his grip on her loosening only a little. "I don't think I heard you, Riley. Could you repeat that?" he asked, his breath tickling her ear, causing her to shiver against her will. 

"G-get off me."

Riley felt his hands leave her shoulders. But before she could shove him away and escape, his hands instead fell to her jean clad hips, his fingertips moving up to raise her shirt a teeny bit. "I wasn't lying, you _are_ hot as hell."

Riley whimpered, the sound music to his ears. Negan was a lot of things, good and bad, but one thing he was not, was a rapist. Or one that even condoned the act for that matter. He leaned forward, letting his lips brush over her ear, "If you say it again, I'll move," he whispered, and he could hear her taking in shaky breaths. "If not, well.. You know what happens, baby."

Riley swallowed, feeling her heart racing in her chest, mixed with feelings of hate, longing, anger, arousal. Negan pissed her off to no end, but she couldn't deny the fact that he was attractive as hell and somewhat like-able when he wasn't being an ass. Letting him continue would be a betrayal of her friends, her brother, Gus.. But  _God_ was it hard to resist him _._ Even as a teenager she had a thing for older men, and Negan had a good twenty some years on her, maybe more. 

Negan's hands stayed at her hips, his fingers still probing the soft skin of her belly. This whole situation was fucked up, but throwing away the chance of having intimate, close contact with another man after all the shit the past few years was stupid. "Negan.." she spoke, trying to push away from the wall, "This is wrong.."

"Tell me no, Riley," he said, his voice low and husky, "Tell me no and we'll go and get the important shit over with."

Riley breathed softly, swallowing the access saliva that was pooling in her mouth..  This was Negan and she was having mixed feelings about him. 

Upon not hearing any objections from the opposite party, Negan yanked her back from the wall completely, taking a few steps back. Riley was panting by that point, and the sound was music to his ears. Any moment, someone could walk up and see them, but seeing as he was the fucking boss, that shit didn't bother him one fucking bit. "N-Negan, stop."

Instantly, he released her. Riley braced herself against the wall, listening to the sound of Lucille being picked up off the floor. She turned, facing him to find he was holding out her backpack for her to take. She shakily grabbed it, giving him a nod of thanks. Negan stared at her, not saying anything and not knowing what was going on in that damn head of his was scary in its own right. Not sure if she should be relieved or scared, he grinned, gesturing with his head for her to follow. "Now, where the hell were we?"  
  



	4. 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I gathered as much information about The Sanctuary that I could find, while at the same time attempting to make my own version of it, writing how I think it would look since we've only seen so much from the show. I changed a few things in order to do that, I hope you guys like it!!

**THINGS WERE VERY AWKWARD FOR RILEY WHILE NEGAN LED HER OUT OF THE STAIRWELL AND INTO THE BRIGHT OUTDOORS.** The sky was a beautiful, vibrant blue and the sun was shining without a care in the world. It was cooler than it had been the past few days, Riley guessing it was in the mid 70's and it was a good change compared to the usual Summer heat they've been forced to endure for weeks. People were walking around, some dressed in raggedy clothes while others were dressed in more acceptable wear that didn't look like they've been through the shredder. Upon seeing Negan approach, men and women alike immediately fell to their knees, bowing their heads as their boss casually walked by without a care in the world.

She had the urge to ask what the deal was, but along with the sudden pause of their day, it had gone deathly silent. Riley knew enough that if she asked what the hell that was all about, Negan wouldn't be too happy about having his stupid ego questioned in front of his people where every one could hear. So instead, she bit back that word vomit and decided to save it for later.

The building that they came out of turned out to be connected to a large, faded, gray factory. There was a chain link fence surrounding the entire area, giving a little layer of protection. Riley could see what appeared to be barricades beyond the fence, and what appeared to be quite a few poles sticking out of the ground, some of them holding walkers. Riley glanced up at Negan; Lucille perched on his shoulder, walking without a care in the world. It wasn't too hard to believe that he'd come up with that as a protection tactic, and honestly, it seemed sort of.. Brilliant?

"Look around, Darlin', what do you see?" he asked, pausing in his tracks to face her. He glanced at his people, giving them all a once-over, "As you were."

Immediately, the people stood up, going back to their business as if nothing ever happened. Riley glanced up to see him staring, a rather appeased look on his face. She broke contact, taking in their surroundings. There was a small garden off to the right of their position, and she could see there were mostly women on their hands and knees, tending to the growing plants. Riley could see a patch of strawberries, which made her mouth water. Negan followed her gaze, seeing her eye-fucking the berries that were soaking up the sun.

"You grow food?" she asked, turning her attention back to him. Negan grinned, beckoning her over with his bat that Riley came to the conclusion he took with him everywhere. She followed, not missing the slight fear that shown in the eyes of the females working. Negan didn't seem to notice, or even care, only grinning as he looked down at the little blonde beside him.

"We grow as much food as we fucking can. Tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, fruit.. I saw you looking at those damn strawberries," he said, pointing to the same bush of berries she was staring at just moments before. "Summer is a great fucking season, isn't it ladies?" Negan asked, his question directed at the five or six ladies tending to the soil.

"Yes, Negan." They said simultaneously, not bothering to look up at him as they continued on with their work. Riley scoffed, wondering what it was that scared these people so bad that they could hardly even look at him. Riley experienced firsthand that Negan wasn't afraid to off someone by his own hand, and though that wasn't the most pleasurable first meeting, there had to be more to the story than that. Her words from earlier were true, he did try scaring people into submission, but the real question was, how far would he take it?

"What about during the Winter?" Riley asked, taking the chance to peek up at him. He was watching her. "Can you grow anything then?"

"We grow a lot of stuff in the winter," a voice from below said, surprising both Riley and Negan. "Onions, potatoes, lettuce, a whole bunch of greens. It's pretty easy, I don't see why people complain about it so much."

A head popped up from the garden; peeking at Riley, before her eyes landed on Negan. Neither had noticed she was even down there. She stood up, her clothes covered in dirt. She was pretty; a round face, a dark skin tone that resembled Starlett's, and brown eyes. By the looks of it, she was Korean, but Riley wasn't entirely sure. She wiped her hand on her jeans in an attempt to get the dirt off, before sticking it in Riley's direction, "I'm Phoebe, Phoebe Lee."

Riley blinked, taking her hand in a firm shake. "Riley, Riley Taylor."

"That's a cute name," Phoebe grinned, dropping her hand. "Hey, are you new?"

Negan shook his head, sighing a little while grabbing a hold of Riley's sleeve, making her look at him, "Get back to work, Phoebe. You can talk to her at dinner."

"Y-Yes sir," Phoebe said, her brown eyes flickering to him before she dropped back on her knees, going back to her work as Negan led Riley away.

"Impatient much?" Riley asked, looking up at the giant of a man when he finally released her shirt. Negan didn't say anything, only scoffing while he started to lead her in the direction of what looked to be the main part of the factory.

"But there's so much to see, sweetheart. I don't have time to stand and watch while you fuck around with the company. I have other shit to do that doesn't involve showing you around the Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Riley asked, her brow furrowing, "Is that what this place is called?"

"Yes, named by yours truly," he said, grinning down at her. This time though, it was contagious and Riley smiled too, even if it was against her better judgement, "We are the fucking Saviors! It might be a cheesy fucking name, but it's got a nice little ring to it, don't you think?"

"Sure, Negan." Riley said, following him when he led her up a staircase that led to a balcony that was settled on the second floor of the towering building. He led her to a metal door that sat ajar; held open by a large rock. When they walked through, they were on a metal railing that overlooked the drab area that contained quite a few people. It looked to be a market area of sorts; a few rows of tables lined up, topped with baskets of things it looked like people had gathered or grown. Riley could make out a basket of apples, but that was about it.

"This here, I don't like this shit," Negan said, pointing to the little market that was operating right in front of them. "The way I run things around here is that if you want a somewhat luxurious life in this shitty world, you work for points. I find out what you like, or what you're good at, and I place you somewhere that will benefit the community. Or, if you choose to be one of my men I take with me on runs, you could choose to do that shit instead. Points are used to buy stuff: snacks, books, meals, clothes, whatever floats your fucking boat. But those less fortunate than others have to resort to this shit to get by. I don't fucking like it, but I let it slide just for the simple fact some of those assholes have no other choice."

"Those are the only options?" Riley asked, resting her hands on the rusted metal bar that ran across the railing, preventing them from falling over the edge. She watched as the worse for wear people lined up, looking to see what was being offered to trade for something else.

Negan chuckled, tapping Lucille against the railing. Immediately, the people below froze, glancing up at them. Upon seeing Negan, they fell to their knees, once again showing their submission to him. Negan seemed to take a real joy out of seeing them kneel, and he relished in it for a few moments before dismissing them.

"Why do they kneel for you?" Riley asked, watching as they went back to their business; them talking loud enough that their conversation wouldn't be heard.

"Well, the sight just may tickle my balls."

Riley's eyes widened, looking at him in disbelief, "Seriously? You're so fucked in the head."

"You challenging me there, darlin'?" he asked, turning to where he was facing her fully. "Don't make me regret not punishing you in that damn stairwell earlier. I'd dole it out way worse than what should have been."

Riley swallowed, looking away from him. "Sorry.." she whispered, her grip tightening on the rail.

Negan held Lucille by the handle, tucking her under his arm, leaning forward to rest his arms on the railing beside her. "Apology accepted, kid."

After a few minutes, Riley cleared her throat, looking at him, "You never answered my question."

"Yeah? And what was that?" he asked, his eyes sliding over to meet hers. Dark eyes met dark eyes and they held each other for a moment, before Riley looked away, breaking the contact. Negan continued to stare, watching as her glasses fell down her nose just a bit. Negan's idea of flattery was calling a woman hot, or sexy, something like that. Though the girl in front of him was both of those, she was also cute. Beautiful, cute, adorable, what the hell ever, those three were a perfect description of little Miss Riley Taylor.

_Though, of course, he'd never admit that shit out loud._

"You said you either work for points or become one of your.." she trailed off, trying to think of the right word to describe Negan's men. "You work for points or participate in runs. Those are the only options you have?"

Negan smirked, a little laugh bubbling in his throat but he swallowed it down. Riley was looking at him with honest curiosity, her glasses still laying low on her nose. Negan reached forward, bumping it up with his knuckle, putting it back in place as well as surprising her. "There's a third option," he said, before straightening his posture, grabbing a hold of Lucille so he'd be able to carry her. "But I'll get into that later," he said, smirking at the thought of proposing the option only given to the ladies. "For now, there's more shit to see. Let's go."

Riley sighed, watching as Negan began to walk the length of the balcony, heading for the stairs on the opposite end. Taking one last sweep of the dreary, cold room, she followed, unsure of what she'd see next.

___

After leaving from there, Negan took her down to what was actually the cafeteria. Surprisingly, it was brighter than the previous room, and from the looks of it that was the doing of Negan's people. She could see that whatever this room was before the end of the world could have very well been a kitchen of sorts, as she could see that there was a fully stocked kitchen in the back, people busting their asses trying to prepare for dinner while at the same time trying to get rid of all the lunch food still left over.

"Meals are served in here, meal times vary, but I'll also get into that shit later," he said, angling his body slightly to observe her taking in the room. "You're probably starving, kid." he said matter of factly, watching as she licked her lips when she spotted the kitchen staff giving out trays of food to the others in line.

"A little, yeah.." Riley said, watching as a mother and her kid took their trays, heading to one of the unoccupied cafeteria benches across the room. Negan followed her gaze, uninterested in what was going on. He whistled, catching her attention. "Come on, I'll get you something."

"I don't have any points yet." Riley said, following him while he made his way to the front of the line, not caring that he just cut in front of a line of people. They ignored him, not saying anything about it and Riley knew she would have been beyond pissed if some asshole came out of nowhere and cut in line, back then and even now.

"As I said earlier, I'm not charging points today," he said, waving one of the male workers over who came quickly, not sparing Riley a second glance, "Two trays, Donovan, please."

"Yes sir, coming right up." Donovan said, quickly going back to the woman portioning out food.

"Wow, you actually said please," Riley said, impressed. She grinned up at him, seeing him fighting a smile himself, "Who knew that you know how to be nice."

"Donovan's a good kid," he said, tapping Lucille lightly against his jean clad leg, "I actually like him, he does his job and doesn't fucking complain about it. Something a lot of adults struggle with anymore, how fucking sad a teenager has a better work ethic than a grown-ass adult."

He had her there. She nodded, though he couldn't see as he wasn't paying attention to her. Donovan returned after a few seconds, holding two red trays in his hands. He carefully handed them over, Negan pushing Riley's hands down when she tried to grab one, taking them both in his large hands. "Thank you." Negan said, nodding at the boy.

"No problem, sir."

"Thank you." Riley said, catching the boys attention. They smiled at each other, Donovan giving her a little head tilt in recognition before scurrying back over to his post.

Turning around, Riley was surprised to see Negan no longer standing beside her. Instead, on the other side of the room, setting the trays down. The people must have noticed he had been in the same vicinity as them as they were in submissive position. A few of them, the woman especially, were eyeing her as if she grew two heads. The gesture alone almost made her kneel for him, too, though the very thought made her hate herself. It seemed too degrading to take part in that.

When she reached him, Negan sat down, whistling at the people to get up and mind their own fucking business. Riley hesitantly sat across from him, sliding her bag off her shoulders, placing it on the ground beside her feet. The tray in front of her held a piece of chicken, a side of beans, a cup of water, and a small bowl of apple slices. It reminded her briefly of her elementary school days, the only difference being this food actually looked edible.

"Eat up, dinner isn't for another four hours, though looking at you I don't think you'd be hungry by then."

Riley looked up, unsure of how to to take that little comment at the end, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Negan smirked, taking a slice of apple, tossing it into his mouth. While he chewed, Riley could see a little hint of juice dribble down the corner of his mouth, which his tongue darted out and caught before it could run down his salt and pepper beard. Her eyes flickering down to her plate, using the fork she was given to stab her chicken, imagining it was Negan's head.

Figuring he wasn't going to answer, she began to eat, ignoring him. Riley could feel eyes on her, and it didn't surprise her one bit. Typical 'new girl is sitting with the boss, they must be fucking already'. She blamed her bad mood on Negan. It's his fault, blame everything on Negan.

The food was pretty good like she had deduced just by looking at it. Everything but the apple slices were warm, and even the water was cool and refreshing. Negan had finished before her, taking the time to glare at all of the nosey motherfuckers eyeing him and his favorite new recruit.

Completely against what he said, Negan really didn't have anything to do for the rest of the day. He had cleared his schedule completely, wanting to dedicate his time to showing around the feisty, tiny bombshell sitting in front of him that was munching on her fruit. Very rarely did Negan ever show anybody around, always forcing his boy Dwight or one of the other members of his little army to do it for him. Every once in a while he'd ask Sherry, figuring a female tour guide would make the female counterparts more comfortable.

Negan drained the last of his water, placing the plastic cup back on the tray. Most of her food was gone, but he really wasn't in a hurry, which was a nice change for him as it always seemed some imbecile was fucking something up and he had to run around fixing everything. Just sitting here in a relaxed state tickled him.

"You know, kid, I'm surprised you haven't asked about the dog."

Riley glanced up at him, surprise clear on her features and she set down her fork.  _Bailey. How could I forget Bailey?_

"What did you do with her?" Riley asked, fearing for the worst. If Bailey was hurt, killed, or worse, taken from Blaine, she wouldn't know how to comfort her friend. Bailey was his counterpart since the beginning, and if she died or was taken because of one of Negan's men, shit was going to hit the fan.

"Well, I was going to use her for hunting. Take her out, catch some animals, or take her with us on runs to sniff shit out. Based on what your friend Blaine told me, she was trained to do that shit. How fucking convenient, right?"

"Negan, what did you do with her?" Riley asked, her voice soft, laced with worry. Negan sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, "I decided to leave her be. If your boy trusts me enough to take her out, then I'll do it. But she's staying in his possession. Now, because we don't have fucking animals running around here, we now have to search for dog food. That shit won't be hard to come by, but it's gonna cost him even more points on top of taking care of himself."

Riley sighed in relief, using the pads of her fingers to rub her tired eyes. All of her food beside a few stray beans were left, but she was no longer hungry. Partly because of the slight fear he had instilled in her, the other part being she was just full. Her eyes wandered around the room, seeing most of the people minding their own business. A few, though, especially the ones just arriving were giving them looks. Riley sighed, turning to look at Negan, "Why are they staring? Do always eat in here?"

Negan scoffed, his hand gripping Lucille, hitting her against the tiled floor a few times. "Fuck no, I eat in my own fucking room. I thought about bringing you back, but I can't promise you'd leave without a limp."

Riley didn't quite catch it at first. Like most innuendos at first, it went right over her head. But when it sank in, she choked on air, clearing her throat while Negan just smirked at her, pleased by her reaction even if it wasn't one of disgust or hatred. Surprise, mostly. This girl was too fucking interesting.

"Okay, can we go now?" Riley asked, standing up from her seat. Her hands were trembling as she put all of her things on top of the tray, bending over to grab her bag. If only she were facing the other way..

Negan chuckled, pushing away from the table, placing his tray on top of hers, stopping her from grabbing them. Negan reached down, grabbing Lucille from her perch beside his chair, moving it to where it dangled in front of her. She stared at it, slightly flinching at being so close to the very object that was covered in Gus' brains the night before. He stared at her, his eyes following every sparkle, feeling, or emotion in her eyes before he grinned, wiggling Lucille slightly. "Hold this."

Riley looked up at him, trying to figure out whether or not he was joking. He was completely serious. Hesitantly, she reached forward, expecting him to yank her away last minute and say 'yeah right.' Only he let her take it, dropping the full weight of Lucille in her tiny hand and Riley held on for dear life.

Negan grinned, picking up the trays, gesturing with his head for her to follow. Holding Lucille in an almost death grip, she followed, her hands shaking just from holding a weapon so powerful and fear instilling as Lucille. Perhaps if her thoughts weren't clouded by blurry images of Gus being killed by, she'd embrace the feeling of power she got by holding the bat.

Negan slammed the trays down on the counter, smirking at the older woman collecting them behind the counter to be washed. When he turned to face Riley the smirk was still plastered to his face, and instead of taking his beloved weapon from her, he grinned, "How about you carry her for a bit? Get reacquainted with my dirty girl." he said, laughing at the look of bewilderment that crossed her features.

___

After they left the cafeteria, Negan led a Lucille toting Riley through the corridors that had doors labeled as if they were in an apartment building. A few of the doors were ajar, and Riley could make-out people making beds, emptying trash, basically acting like maids. That must have been one of the jobs; housemaids.

"This part of the building is living quarters. Six floors, about thirty rooms each, besides the top floor," he said, slowing down so they were back to walking side by side. He stretched his arms out, grinning, "The higher you go, the better the rooms get. Most of this floor is occupied by those assholes we saw at that little makeshift market, but we also store the newbies here. Only the hard-workers get the better rooms."

Riley paused, taking the time to peek into one of the rooms being cleaned. She could see that they were very cramped; the room she was looking in only housed one twin bed that was pushed against a wall, a small wardrobe sitting against the opposite wall with a rickety chair partially hidden by the wall. Riley crinkled her nose, her grip on Lucille tightening when she realized the room she was going to be given would resemble that.

"Don't look so depressed, kid," Negan said, getting her attention once again, "This is the bottom of the fucking barrel. I sort-of like you, so being the kind fucking gentleman I am, you won't be staying here."

At the realization that she wouldn't be staying here, the weight that had settled in her belly slowly fell away. But she paused, looking up at his much taller frame, "What about everyone else?"

Negan sucked in his lip, releasing it with a pop. The look in his eyes was one of pure thought; as if he didn't have an answer but at the same time had one but didn't want to share. Riley raised her eyebrow, trying her best to be patient.

"Because of their career choices, they were all placed accordingly. Your people aren't fucking lazy, so they're not going to live in this shit-hole," he said, using a finger to point into the room she was just peeking in. "That other little Latina you were with turned down option number three," he said, licking his lip again, "Which, is pretty fucking honorable in my opinion, but it's a bit of a blow to my fucking ego."

Riley frowned, following him when he started walking again, "What's option number three?" she asked, completely disregarding the fact that her family was going to be living in decent conditions.

"As I said before, I'll get into that later."

Riley silently cursed, dropping Lucille so she was hanging by her side. "What jobs did they choose?" she tried again, hoping that he'd at least give her an answer to that.

Negan laughed, "Nice try, sweetheart. If I tell you what your friends have chosen that will influence your decision, and that's not the way shit works. Floors are assigned by jobs, though I do try and be nice and allow family to stick with family, but not if one chooses to be lazy or picks one of the lower jobs."

"What are the lower jobs?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Cleaning. Janitorial, mostly."

"What, are they arranged by class?" she asked, still looking up at him, "Lower, middle, upper?"

Negan paused, taking her words into consideration. He grunted, looking down at her with that grin again, "Damn, kid, I never thought of it that way. Good job."

Slightly flustered, she cleared her throat, looking at the approaching stairwell. "No problem.."

"Seems like a good way to put it," he said, staring straight ahead as if ignoring her, "What can you do that doesn't end in fucking disaster?"

Riley thought for a moment, trying to piece together her talents that would be useful to Negan and the rest of the Sanctuary. She was always good at cleaning, as she was a little OCD, but looking at the state of this floor and seeing how some of it's occupants looked like they've seen better days, it was enough to turn her right off of the idea Conveniently, she left that out. "I'm good at cooking. I enjoy it, actually.."

Negan seemed please, sending her a grin, "Is that so, Riley? Hell, that kitchen could use all the help they can get-"

"But I want to be one of your men."

Negan paused, abruptly turning to face her. He stared down at the tiny blonde, seemingly at a loss for words at the notion of this little thing wanting to go out and help him do runs and shit, stuff that was dangerous and always seemed to make them lose at least one member of their group per run. "And what makes you think you'd be fit for that job?"

Riley blinked, glaring at him, "What, are you saying I couldn't do it?"

Negan shrugged, giving her a skeptical look, "I'm not saying shit, I have quite a few females doing that shit for me. I'm just seeing what makes you so sure you can handle it."

Riley sighed, changing her grip on his precious bat, "Do you know what happens when someone starts hiding from the outside world?"

Negan stared at her, unsure where this conversation was heading. There were many possibilities, but there was only one logical explanation he could think of, "What's that?"

Riley sniffed, looking up at the big, bad intimidator that had completely changed her life in a matter of twelve hours. "You forget. You hide somewhere exactly like this, cowering behind big walls and a fence, and you forget."

"Forget? What the hell are you going on about, kid?"

"You forget about how the world is," she said, staring up at him, "How dangerous it really is, you forget that you always have to be vigilant, you forget how aggressive walkers can really be, that they aren't supposed to be taken lightly. You forget how to fight, and I'll be damned if that happens to me."

Negan looked taken aback; surprised at her sudden outburst and just the simple fact that someone could be so assertive to him and not even bat an eye. He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to get angry, all she was doing was speaking the truth. But it bubbled up in him anyway, and it was taking a fucking God awful lot to contain it. "So what you're saying is that you're willingly putting your life in danger just because you don't want to fucking forget?" Negan asked, scoffing, "That sounds pretty stupid to me, sweetheart."

"Maybe so, but you're the fucking leader. It's your job to stay fit for the fight, that's what you're giving these people," she said, lifting Lucille up to press her into his belly, just like he did to her what seemed like forever ago but was really only about an hour. "You're keeping them safe behind these walls, but they're going to lose what they may have gained before they met you if you keep them sheltered in here."

Negan angrily grabbed the bat, desperately searching her eyes for any signs of fear. Nothing. "You really are a pain in my fucking ass," he said, glaring at her, "It was a little cute at first, I ain't gonna lie, but now you're telling me how to run shit around here that already works fine on it's own," he said, taking his weapon roughly out of her grasp, "And for your fucking information, there's more to this place that meets the fucking eye. I have people everywhere, understand? I have followers all over this fucking county.  _I'm everywhere, sweetheart."_

Riley matched his glare, her blonde curls gently framing her face as they slowly started falling out the messy bun her hair was tied into; whoever cleaned her up must have put it up for her. "I want to go on runs with you-"

Negan laughed, cutting her off, "You want to spend time with me? That's adorable, sweetheart."

Riley shook her head. "I was going to say with your little merry band of misfits, but whatever floats your boat."

Negan grabbed the handle of the door, swinging it open roughly. He stepped to the side, waiting for her to walk in. Eyeing him, she walked in, shuddering a little when he approached her from behind, shutting the door behind them.

He took the lead, leading her up the steps until her legs felt like jelly. An old, rusty six was bolted to the wall at the very top, and Negan wasted no time in ushering her inside.

This floor was a lot nicer; the walls not as grungy, and the carpet in the hall looked relatively new. Cans of paint sat stacked in the corner, and there was a section of the wall still waiting to be treated. Like the rest of the building, the original color was gray, but they were now painting it a lovely shade of what Riley imagined to be blood red.

"This right here is where I fucking live," he said, gesturing down the hall with the hand not holding Lucille. "Me and my.. Many  _suitors_." he said, turning to give her a panty dropping grin. Riley shifted, adverting her eyes. "Come on." he said joyfully, waving for her to follow.

_His.. many suitors?_

Riley followed him, those words swirling in her head like a broken record. "Suitors? Like what, girlfriends?"

"Ahh," Negan said, his voice loud and echoing, "Be patient, darlin'. I'll bring you up to speed shortly."

He led her to the door at the very end of the hall, one that was spread out more compared to the other rooms that were closer together. He opened the door, swinging it open so Riley could go inside.

His words from earlier replaced the current record going through her head as she stepped in his room, looking around,  _"'I thought about bringing you back, but I can't promise you'd leave without a limp.'"_

The room was nice. Too nice. The wall was a lovely olive green, two big windows built into the wall on the right from the door. In front of the windows were long, dark curtains that were tied back as if coming right from a magazine. A black leather couch was pushed to the adjacent wall, while two arm chairs holding two fluffy pillows was on the opposite end of the beautiful coffee table. It made her wonder where he got such furniture. Across the way, a king sized bed was made with black satin sheets and a light gray comforter. There had to be at least seven pillows that Riley could admit she wanted to test out, but doing so would present a certain vulnerability she didn't want to present to the guy. Across from there was a bathroom, the door open and the light off, but she could see what seemed to be a very impressive shower.

".. Wow, this is great," Riley breathed, turning to look at him as he shut the door, "Really, Negan. It's beautiful."

"Why thank you so fucking much, darlin'!" he said, grinning at the beauty poking one of the pillows . "Have a seat," he said, resting Lucille on her post next to the door, removing his glove, shoving it in his jacket pocket. "I need to ask you the same thing I ask all female recruits."

Riley grabbed the pillow from the chair, sitting down, hugging it to her chest. Negan sat on the couch cushion right across from her; legs slightly spread as he leaned forward, rubbing his large hands together. He grinned; his eyes slightly crinkling at the corners and tiny dimples appearing around his mouth.

_Aww damn it fucking shit_

"Because you're a female, you have a third option. I extend the option to all of the girls, as long as they aren't fucking underage because I'm not a fucking rapist. You're not underage, right?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow at her.

Riley shook her head, squeezing the pillow, "If my timing is right I'm twenty.."

Negan nodded, "Thought so.. Damn, kid, you were still in high school when all this shit started," he said, observing her with a hint of fascination in his eyes.

"Pretty much, yeah.." she said, and he briefly wondered if she was from around here. His former occupation had him working in a high school, and though he never preyed upon his female students like a fucking pervert, he knew that if Riley Taylor was one of his students, he'd most definitely remember her.

"Well, with that being said, you have the opportunity to become one of my wives." he said, grin still plastered on his face. Riley's stomach plummeted; not only did he say wife, he said wives.

".. Wives," Riley said, repeating the word as if she had misheard him, when she knew in fact she hadn't.  _"..Wives?"_

Negan chuckled, slapping his hands on his thighs, "Yes, wives. See, kid, if you become one of my wives you don't have to work for shit. I take good fucking care of you, and you don't have a worry in the fucking world. The point system doesn't apply to you; you get whatever the fuck you want, and the rest of the Sanctuary treats you with the utmost fucking respect because you are my wife. Whatever you need, you get," he said, smirking at her, "And I get a little something something in return."

Riley stared, the grip on her pillow tightening to the point of white knuckles. Her heart was racing; a mix of anger, disappointment, and disgust all rolled into one big ball. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes, pressing her nose into the pillow. Negan had gone silent; watching the young woman who seemed to be having an inner battle with herself. Strangely, he felt a little bad that it seemed she was struggling with something, but another part of him just wanted a fucking answer. "So, darlin', what will it be? Live a life of luxury or work for points?"

Riley only stared at him, wondering how she was supposed to respond without pissing him off. She had already done so twice today, and a third time would be pushing her luck.

Instead, she took a deep breath, keeping her gaze on him, "Negan.." she said, starting out slow as if she was about to present a eulogy. "Isn't that a little morbid?" she asked, raising her hand when he tried to interject, "No, no, just listen-"

He paused, his mouth open slightly before his face relaxed, "You have my full attention, Riley."

The way her name rolled off his tongue sent shivers down her spine. She continued, breaking her contact with him briefly as she regathered her thoughts. "I just.. Not only do I think that's a little insensitive, but I already told you what I want to do. As appealing as not having a worry in the world sounds, it's totally wrong."

"Hey," he said, holding his hands up in defense, "I'm doing those women a favor-"

"-No, what you're doing is you're using them for sex-"

"-Those women are here on their own terms," he said, snapping out of his relaxed state, "They're not being forced, it was their fucking decision. I just happened to offer them a once and a lifetime chance."

"Okay, fine. Point is, Negan, I respect myself too much to become a wife. Also, generally speaking, I don't like sharing."

Surprised, Negan's face lit up, highly amused, "Oh ho ho! Is that right?" he asked, his grin bigger than ever.

Riley was a little embarrassed, but she sat up taller, keeping a straight face, "It just so happens to be true."

"That's fucking fantastic," he said, licking his lip, "But don't think I'm gonna give up all of that fucking pussy for you, kid. Ain't gonna happen."

Riley's expression fell, leaving her crestfallen. Though she was ashamed to admit it, she couldn't deny that she was attracted to Negan. Any woman in their right mind would be, but his personality was most definitely questionable, and this new introduction to his harem just added onto the fact. "I wouldn't ask you too. Truth of the matter is, you're a man whore."

"Now that's not nice," he said, his words long, a slight drawl to them, "I may be a fucking hard ass but I have feelings too."

"Sure, it really seems like it."

Negan grunted, leaning back against the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. Riley tried to keep her eyes on his face, but seeing as he had a pretty awesome body was very distracting. "Out of curiosity," she said, eyeing him with nothing but curiosity in her expression, "What is the catch?"

"The catch?" he asked, repeating her question, "The catch to being my wife is simple. You don't cheat, that's about it."

Riley's brow furrowed, "That's it? They can't cheat on you but you have more than one wife?"

"Perks of being the boss," he said, smirking at her. "I fuck as many fucking woman as I want, and they get their shit and they get Grade-A fucking protection. It's all consensual, darlin', I don't condone rape. If I feel like fucking and one says no, then I move on to the next. All of them don't want to screw around, well, my hand has my back."

Riley scrunched her nose, shaking her head, "I did not need that mental image."

"Sorry not sorry, kid."

"So.." Riley began, once again meeting his eyes, "Can I be one of your new recruits?" she asked, wondering if the puppy dog eyes that she always used to use on Avi would work with the giant sitting in front of her.

Negan pursed his lips, watching her carefully. "I'll tell you what. The next run is in a few days, and I originally wasn't planning on going because I have other shit to do, but I want to see how well you can handle yourself. If your performance is up to par, well, I'll add you to the team."

Riley smiled, immediately perking up, "Thank you, Negan.."

"Pleasure is mine, Riley," he said, before smirking, "I mean, if you're feeling up to it, I can give you your own taste."

Riley laughed, throwing her head back, making his grin even bigger, and quite possibly, his ego. "You just ruined this whole thing. And you were doing so good."

"What can I say, it just tickles me." he said, sending her a wink. They both laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a little too much fun writing this.. Next chapter will be the last part of 'The Aftermath', then things will continue to progress from there. Hope you enjoyed!


	5. 4.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still having too much fun writing Negan. 
> 
> I would also like to point out that I decided to make this before Alexandria attacks the outpost. I'm not sure of actual timelines in the show, but it will affect the plot of my story later on, so Dwight has Daryl's crossbow from the encounter in the woods, and Negan's confrontation to Rick's group will happen within the next few chapters. (Probably around 7-10)

**"WILL I BE ABLE TO LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR A FEW HOURS, OR WILL YOU GO AROUND STARTING SHIT?"**

Riley looked up from her bed to see Negan standing in the doorway of her room. Shortly after agreeing to let her be a 'soldier', as he so kindly put it, he had taken her down to the fifth floor, giving her the only room that was unoccupied. There were two queen sized beds, but he explained that she could be living alone for months before they find someone to take that spot, unless someone bumped up a rank. 

"I'll probably just be in here the rest of the night," she said, desperately wanting to ask him about her family. Riley was convinced that they were okay, and he had been telling the truth, but she needed to see them, to at least let them know she was okay. There was a chance that they had no idea how she was doing, and they could be locked away somewhere just waiting to be released. "Unless I get hungry." she said, giving him a look. 

Negan shuffled, thinking back to his comment earlier at lunch, "Guess I just have to trust you," he said, tapping his fingers against the handle of Lucille. "And before I forget, always be ready to be on call. If shit happens and I need my people out getting shit for me, or taking care of business, you need to be prepared at all times. You'll get your points after each run, and whenever you take perimeter watch-"

"When can I start?" she asked, watching him stand awkwardly in her doorway, "I used to be on watch all of the time."

Negan clicked his tongue, his eyes trailing down her torso, before moving back up to her face. "I'll put you on a shift tomorrow. You need to rest, you're no use if you're fucking asleep, and I don't think Carson will be too happy with me, though I hardly give a shit what he thinks, but I gotta respect some things."

Riley's thoughts wandered back to waking up the night before to find Gus asleep. Now he was dead.  _Sigh._

"If something were to happen tonight, you'd be staying here since I haven't evaluated you yet. Just thought I'd let you know before you bitch at me for waking your ass up in the middle of the night. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Yes, sir." Riley mocked him, watching as his lips twitched at the corners. 

"Don't fucking start, kid.. Curfew is at nine-thirty, I don't want to see you leave this floor unless instructed otherwise. Don't wanna have to punish you." he said, smirking at her before he left, shutting the door with a soft  _click._

Riley smiled a little, looking around her new home. The room was pretty big; a vertical wall had been built right across from the door, acting like a privacy screen of sorts. Her bed was the only one with sheets and a few pillows, as Negan had demanded that the blond-haired man from last night that she now knew as  _Dwight_ fetch her a brand new set. Lucky for her, he happened to pick out a beautiful purple set, which was great considering purple was Riley's favorite color. The walls were a light blue, almost gray, but it was a pretty comparison to what she had seen on the first floor. Both the bathroom and front door was painted red, and the carpet was a pretty white, and she found it to be extremely soft when she wiggled out of her shoes and socks, running the bottom of her feet along the floor.

There was a window on each side of the vertical wall, and from her view, she could see nothing but woods a few yards out, but she was high enough to have a perfect view of the sunset if she wanted. There was a bathroom located to the left of the door, and she was relieved to find a toilet and a sink, but she had been informed by Negan that only the rooms on his floor had full bathrooms in the dorms. That meant she would have to use the locker room that was conveniently located a few rooms down to shower. There was the girl's shower, and then the boys, which was also a huge relief. 

There were two nice looking wardrobes that Riley had peeked into to find completely empty of clothes. Disappointed, she slid the drawers shut, deducing that on top of toiletries, clothes was her second priority once she received enough points. Her bag that was sitting beside her bedside table had a few items in it she could wear, which was a relief. 

She flipped off the light, crawling back on her bed to lay down. There were no blinds or curtains over her window, but she could still see nails that were sticking out from whoever had lived there before. It looked like she needed to add curtains to the list as well.

Curling up above the sheets, she closed her eyes, tucking her hand under one of her two pillows. They were nothing like the ones she saw on Negan's bed; the ones that are so big and puffy they looked like giant marshmallows. These ones weren't really flat, they had a bit of a puff to them, but they weren't the first class type. But she was in absolutely no condition to complain, things could be much worse.

It took her a while, but her eyes finally fluttered shut, allowing her to sleep with thoughts of Negan swirling around her head. 

___

Riley awoke some hours later to the sound of someone knocking on her door. Tired and confused, she slowly moved out of bed, rubbing her eyes as she stumbled over to the door, not bothering to look through the peephole to see who was on the other side.

A young woman stood on the other side. She was pretty; short brown hair that reached her shoulders, a thin face that matched her figure, and pretty hazel eyes. She was wearing a black dress that barely reached her knees, and it was so odd for Riley to see something as simple as a dress and think it was so out of the ordinary. She was carrying a brown box, a small smile on her face. 

"Hi, my name is Sherry. Mind if I come in?" she asked, holding up the box she was carrying. Riley stared at it, before nodding, moving aside, "Yeah, of course.."

"Thank you," Sherry said, giving her another small smile before coming in, moving to Riley's bed, setting the box down. "Riley, right?" she asked, looking up to see Riley nod.  "I have some stuff for you, just some things to get you started."

Riley came over, a little weary of being alone with a complete stranger. Sherry looked innocent enough, and if she could be with Negan alone for as long as she did, there should be nothing stopping her from trusting Sherry.

Lifting the lid from the box, she pulled out the clothes Riley had been wearing the night before. Her blue plaid pajama pants and her favorite light gray sleep shirt. They were neatly folded and now completely clean of mud, "Here you go. I was the one who cleaned you up last night," she said, not missing the way Riley's eyes lit up when she took her clothes. "They've been washed, so you can wear them now if you'd like."

"Thank you.." Riley said, bringing the fabric up to her nose, inhaling the sweet scent. The smell of actual detergent was the equivalent to being given chocolate on your period. For the longest time, doing laundry before was having to use regular dish soap to wash clothes, but now having proper laundry supplies was beyond amazing. 

"Now, Negan doesn't do this a whole lot," Sherry began, giving Riley a pointed look, "The only thing he ever provides to new members is a room and sheets for your bed," she continued, pulling out a bag, handing it to Riley. "But I guess he felt obligated to help you out." 

Riley took it with shaking hands, feeling an overwhelming feeling of emotion run through her veins, and she didn't even know what was in the bag. Blinking back tears, she cleared her throat, opening it. Inside was a bottle of strawberry shampoo with matching conditioner, a bottle of body wash, a loofa, a small pack of razors, a small stick of deodorant, a new toothbrush, and a new box of  _Crest_ toothpaste. 

"Negan told you to get these for me?" she asked, looking up from the bag to look at Sherry. Her eyes were adverted, as if she knew Riley was getting emotional but didn't want to invade on her little moment. Sherry looked at her as she was spoken to, and she nodded, smiling again, "He requested it himself. I think it would look good if you thanked him the next time you see him."

Riley nodded, closing the bag before setting it on her bed. "Yeah, yeah of course.." she nodded, sniffling. 

"Oh, and one more thing," Sherry said, taking a little orange plastic basket out of the box. "This is just to hold everything in when you shower, sure beats carrying all of that stuff with you. Just hang it on the clips under the shower head. Just don't forget it, not everyone will return your stuff if they find it."

"Thank you so much, Sherry," Riley said, giving the other woman a smile. Sherry nodded, putting the lid back over the box. "It really means a lot."

"Well, I can't take all of the credit," she said, picking it up. "Negan wanted me to inform you of a few things. Breakfast is from six am to nine, lunch is twelve pm to three, and dinner is five pm to eight, so if you're hungry you might want to go down now, it's just after six. Laundry is collected every Thursday, and it usually only takes about three days to sort through everything. The cleaners come through four days a week, Monday through Friday, and they work their way down from floor six. It's Tuesday, so if you have any trash they'll collect it and do a few other things."

"Okay, thanks.."

"No problem. Anything else I can do?"

Riley started to shake her head, before she paused. An idea formulating in her head, she nodded, frowning a little, "Yeah, actually.. Um, are you one of Negan's wives?"

Sherry paused, a look of complete dread washing over her face, enough to make Riley feel guilty. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"No, no, it's fine," said Sherry, waving her off, "Yes, I am one of Negan's wives. He told me you had shot him down to be  _'one of the guys',_ that's very brave of you."

Riley shrugged, smiling a bit, "I have my reasons, just like you."

A look of relief flashed across Sherry's face, and the notion that she had been afraid of being asked why she chose to become a wife wasn't lost on Riley. In an attempt to change the subject matter, Riley continued, "Has he said anything about my brother? My friends, maybe?"

Sherry paused, observing her for a moment, "How many are there?"

"Three; Avi, Starr, and Blaine."

Sherry thought for a moment, before shaking her head, "No, I'm sorry, he hasn't."

Sighing in defeat, Riley nodded, "Okay. Thanks anyways."

Sherry nodded, giving her a look of pity before turning, heading towards the door. When she opened it she paused, half hovering in the doorway, turning to face Riley again. "How old are you, Riley?"

Riley frowned, wondering what could have possibly motivated her to ask, "I'm twenty."

Assuming it was a realistic enough answer, Sherry nodded, "Thought so.. Keep that outfit, too. My treat." she said a small frown on her face as she turned back around, holding the box with one hand, using the other to shut the door.  _click._

**___**

Shortly after Sherry left, Riley assembled the basket, putting the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and loofah inside. There was a mirror above her bathroom sink, but only just. She briefly wondered if somebody would install a medicine cabinet for her if she ever found one. Because of this, she set her deodorant, toothbrush and paste on her dresser, until she could get another basket or a tray to to hold all of her stuff in. 

Her eyes fell on her bag still sitting beside her bed from earlier. Now was a good of a time as any to unpack it. Riley picked it up, placing it on her bed to unzip it. The biggest compartment was in the back, and that's where she had stuffed her clothes. Her collection consisted of plain black or white t-shirts, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of shorts, socks, underwear, and a bra. Now she had Sherry's gift of new jeans and a long sleeved shirt. 

Riley assumed that the Saviors had taken whatever clothes she had left lying around, which for her was a winter coat, her hat and gloves, her boots, and maybe her jacket. After pulling out the last shirt, she breathed a sigh of relief when her favorite black hoodie was still there. It had been a while since it had been worn as it has been pretty warm outside, but hoodies have always been her favorite, and if Negan's men had taken the only one she had, there was a chance a fight would break out trying to get it back. 

Folding the clothes, she set them on her bed in piles for her to stick into her dresser. Hesitantly, she unzipped the next layer; the one that held her personal things and books. Reaching inside, she pulled out the only framed photo she had of her family. It had been taken the Christmas before the end of the world, and it was one of her favorites. Her mom and dad were standing in the photo, while Avi and Riley had to sit on a lowered stool in front of them, since they were the children. Riley had only escaped with the photo, but Avi had stumbled upon some frames, so everyone who had family photos could frame them.

The next item was another photo, a smaller one of her and her best friend Taylor. Taylor was the only really good friend Riley had in her old life, and when she died of the same illness Blaine's parents had at the start of everything, it felt like losing a sister. Luckily, though, Riley had become pretty close to Blaine and Starlett, once again giving her that feeling of having two good friends, especially in this world. 

Riley carefully set the frames on her bedside table, angling them slightly so she'd be able to see them clearly if she was lounging on her bed. Her books came out next; a mixture of Stephen King novels that were about as worn as one-hundred year old leather,  _Hamlet_ , and the first book in the  _Harry Potter_ series that was newer but had been read through more times than the books she had carried with her since the beginning. Her luck had run out when she didn't have time to grab her full set from home, and she also hasn't had any luck finding the series in any store they went into the past six months. Somehow she had gotten lucky and snagged the first, but completing the series would be an amazing achievement. 

Riley pulled out the few journals that she carries around with her; writing the bad things that have happened to them. Such as when Bailey almost got snagged by a walker, when Starr was learning how to shoot and almost shot Avi, when they had been scavenging in a _Rite-Aid_ and a group of men carrying large machetes came in, threatening to take the girls and whatever shit they had. Luckily, though, Gus had arrived just in time from the store he went to right across the street, returning with a gun in which he..

Riley looked up, seeing the date she had written at the top of the page.  _July 27th-29th._ The only reason she knew the exact date was because Gus had brought his calendar when he left his home, keeping track of time right to the very end of his life. Riley was sure the Saviors had taken his makeshift calendar when they arrived. 

Riley flipped to the next entry, which was exactly a week after the pharmacy incident. It hadn't been a bad day; they had been settled in the cabin for a few days and she just had a lot on her mind at the time and needed to get some things out. The date was marked _Saturday, August 3rd_ , exactly three days ago. 

Gus had killed Negan's men almost two weeks ago; they added the guns he took to their collection, going by his word that he got lucky and found them in that store. Riley tried to remember if she saw any dead bodies, or cars that were sitting around that looked well maintained and didn't look like they were plopped in the middle of the ocean and had completely sunk to the bottom for a few months before being pulled out. Nothing came to mind, but that didn't mean Gus was not guilty.

If it happened thirteen days ago, why did it take Negan and his men that long to get revenge? Maybe they had a stake out of sorts, or maybe they just got lucky and stumbled upon them when they did last night. But that doesn't explain how they knew who was in the cabin, so Riley could assume they were being watched. That also gave an answer as to why the load of walkers was so scarce; his men were taking care of them while they were spying on Riley and the group.

It all made sense, but she knew that right now she was the only one who would believe Negan when it came to Gus' actions that led to his death. Her family was probably fuming over it, and though she still hadn't accepted the fact that Negan killed one of her own, she couldn't let them believe that Gus had died from a misunderstanding. He killed two men and stole the guns, and that was the whole reason he died and they were in this situation.

Now all she needed to do was find them.

___

After dinner, Riley went back to her room, room 5-23.She was still reeling over the fact that she had one-hundred points in her account, enough to get her meals for a few days. Riley assumed it was Negan's doing, and she could only hope that her family got the same treatment. A shower was in order, so she gathered her pajamas and a clean pair of underwear, taking her basket with her.

The locker room was a few doors down from hers, making it pretty convenient. There was a digital clock in the hallway, showing it was just after seven-thirty. Riley nervously chewed on her lip, hoping there were changing rooms, curtains and shit so she didn't have to expose herself to others. 

Riley was hit with a wall of steam upon entry. There were a few woman walking around, clad in only towels while others were stripping down, not a care in the world. There was a row of red lockers a few levels high, and brown benches sitting in front of them. It was a pretty decent sized area, an individual section of bathroom stalls and what looked to be at least eight showers in rows of four, each with a blue curtain for privacy. 

None of the woman verbally acknowledged her entrance, a few of them giving her a tight-lipped smile instead, which was alright by her. Better than being completely ignored. 

Most of the showers were open, so she grabbed a white towel that was sitting on a tall rack completely filled with them. She saw that the other girls were placing their things in the lockers, so she decided to take a look. 

_5-20, 5-21, 5-22,_ **_5-23_ **

Riley looked around, seeing no eyes on her before she lifted the metal handle, letting the door swing open with ease. It was a decent sized locker, an all gray interior with a slight hint of a bleach smell, as if it had been recently cleaned. Riley placed her things in it, before taking her towel, heading over to one of the changing curtains. 

After she stripped, she wrapped the towel around her, taking her clothes to place them back in her locker, switching them out for her basket.

Like Sherry had instructed, she hung the basket on the clips under the shower head, turning on the water. The water was cold at first, but after running for a few minutes it began to get warm, before getting hot. After adjusting the temperature, Riley let herself fall into the blissfully warm abyss that was a shower.

**___**

_Who knew that a shower could make somebody feel so good._

Riley couldn't contain her smile as she brushed her hair, letting it air dry. She had changed into her pajamas after taking a shower that was probably just a  _little bit_  too long. It was a little surprising to see how empty it was now, but she could hear what sounded like a few people quietly conversing on the other side. Riley watched herself in the mirror, taking the brush through her hair one last time. 

Somebody came out of the stall behind her, and Riley immediately recognized her as Phoebe. Phoebe must had recognized her too, as she smiled real big and came forward, "Hey, Riley, right?"

Riley turned around, giving the other girl a shy smile, "Yeah.. Phoebe?" 

"That's me!" Phoebe said, smiling brightly, "What floor are you on?"

Riley frowned a little, "This one; five."

"Wow! My roommate and I are on four; fourth and fifth share a locker room, so we gotta come up here."

 _That explains it,_ "Wow, that must suck having to walk all the way up here.."

"Nah, it's no big deal. I enjoy the exercise-"

_"Riley?"_

Riley watched in shock as Starr came out from behind Phoebe, looking as equally surprised as Riley to see her friend alive and well.

"Starr.." Riley breathed, feeling a rush of emotions hit her like a train. Starr dashed forward, pulling Riley in roughly, hugging her tightly. Riley reciprocated the tight grip.

"You're  _alive,"_ Starr whispered into her shoulder, giving her an extra tight squeeze before pulling back, "W-we had no idea how you were doing. I haven't seen Negan since this morning, and nobody else would tell us anything. Avi has been worried sick, we  _all_  have, but he was a bigger wreck than all of us-"

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Riley said, giving Starr a watery smile. "I'm alright, I have a room.. How is everyone?"

"-Wait-" Phoebe said, catching the attention of the other girls, "This is your friend you were telling me about?" she asked, her question directed at Starr, who nodded. "Wow, I feel like such an idiot. I saw her earlier, Negan was showing her around."

Starr looked shocked, turning to look a guilty looking Riley, "You let  _him_  show you around?"

"I really didn't have a choice," she said, telling the partial truth, "It was either that or walk around not knowing anything or anyone."

Starr thought for a moment before nodding, pulling her in for another hug, "I'm so glad you're okay." they hugged for a few moments, nobody speaking until Riley pulled away, "So, you guys are roommates, huh?"

"Yeah," sniffed Starr, backing up a few paces to give Riley some space. "I chose a job in the kitchen-"

"Kitchen staff always help with food inventory," Phoebe said, giving Riley a small smile, "So she'll be working with me and vice versa."

Riley nodded, "That's really good.. What about the boys?"

Starr cleared her throat, tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear. Riley frowned, waiting for an answer, "Well, Blaine decided to join Negan's army-"

Riley's eyes widened, her heart stuttering in her chest, "Wait, so this is his floor?" 

Starr paused, sharing a brief look with Phoebe who looked sympathetic. "We don't know.. After deciding our jobs, Negan made this girl named Sherry show me around-"

"-Sherry, I met Sherry.." Riley said, thinking back to the older woman who brought her the stuff. "She said she didn't know anything about you guys."

Phoebe spoke up, "Negan probably told her not to answer your questions, that's just how he is. He probably didn't want you to know anything until-"

"Until he told you himself," said Starr, watching Riley with a sad expression. "Before Sherry took me around, he had a few of his men take Blaine and Avi. They already decided where they wanted to work; Blaine with his men and Avi decided on automotive."

"Automotive.. What floor is that?" Riley asked, looking at Phoebe.

"I'd say the third floor, but I can't be sure.."

"But I haven't seen them since," Starr said, watching as Riley's once hopeful expression fell. "He had them led away and I haven't heard anything since. God knows what's happening.."

Riley put her hands over her face, taking in a deep and shaky breath. She felt two hands gently touch her arm, as if to be comforting but there wasn't much comforting going on. Riley dropped her hands, her eyes a little teary. "Were they hurt?"

Starr shook her head, "Not when I saw them. Whoever hit Avi last night left a little scratch, but that was it. Nobody touched us, but since I don't know where they're at I can't say for sure."

"I need to get out of here." Riley said, pushing through them to get to her locker. She grabbed her things, tossing her towel in the hamper, walking out of the bathroom.

The girls followed right behind, coming into her room when she swung the door open, leaving it open for them. She began to organize her stuff, hearing the door shut before the sound of her mattress squeaking filled the room. 

"I'm sure they're okay," Phoebe offered; knowing this man Avi was Riley's brother and Blaine was her roommates boyfriend. "I can't imagine they're being held captive somewhere."

___

The girls had stayed in Riley's room for another hour; talking and taking the time to get to know Phoebe a little more.Riley had told them that she did, in fact, join the  _Saviors,_ doing her best to explain the same thing she had told Negan just hours before. Phoebe seemed to understand, but Starlett knowing Riley longer made it a little difficult. 

"You know Avi is going to flip his shit," Starr said, watching as his name caused Riley to flinch. "Blaine would, too."

"They'd understand," she said, shrugging, "Blaine has a better chance at keeping an eye on me; if he'd be so concerned about it, he can just be like my secret bodyguard." 

Though it wasn't meant to be funny, the girls couldn't help but chuckle a little. Riley could hear what sounded very faintly like music, and it shown on her face as Phoebe smiled, "Some people have battery powered record players. They're not supposed to have them up super loud; it's disruptive, but some people just don't listen."

Riley recognized the song artist as  _The Beatles_ , a song her dad used to listen to all of the time.  _And I Love Her._

They sat and listened for a few minutes, until the music abruptly stopped. The trio each shared a look, and the sound of a door slamming and loud, heavy footsteps started traveling down the hall, closer to their room.

Riley felt a charge of electricity through the air, and she immediately recognized it as the feeling she got when..

_Knock knock knock_

The girls froze; Riley freezing the most as she already knew who was on the other side. Swallowing, she got up, ignoring the slightly panicked look on Starr and Phoebe's faces. The door was locked, but she didn't bother looking through the peep-hole before she unlocked it, swinging the door open.

There stood Negan; all big grins and smiles, holding his bat, Lucille. He grinned, his eyes twinkling. "You lock the door? I see you like playing it fucking safe."

"Well-"

"And  _what_ do we have here?" he asked, nudging Riley to the side, coming into her room. Starr was glaring daggers at the man, while Phoebe just sat and watched quietly. "The first official night in The Sanctuary and you're already having fucking  _slumber parties?_ You work fast, kid." he said, completely ignoring the look Starlett was giving him.

"We were just leaving, sir." Phoebe said, roughly nudging Starr in the ribs, not wanting to start anything.

"Nonsense," said Negan, lifting his arm to look at the watch on his left wrist, "You still have thirty seconds until curfew starts."

Phoebe's eyes about bulged out of her head, grabbing an equally nervous looking Starr by the wrist, dragging her off the bed. The girls made a dash for it, sending Riley one last panicked glance before disappearing.

"You didn't have to do that," Riley said, looking up at the still smirking leader, "We weren't doing anything."

"And that's a fucking shame," he replied, sending her a wink, "Too fucking bad, I could have used a show."

"You're gross."

 _"I know,"_ he said, winking again. "Now where in the hell did you find that hot fucking Latina? What's her name.."

"Starr?"

"Yes, that's it. Where'd you find her?"

Riley licked her dry lips, suddenly feeling nervous. "I-In the locker room.."

"Ahh, so you didn't go out and find her yourself?"

Riley shook her head, a little too eagerly, but it's not like she was lying, "No, Negan..  _Sir."_

"Aw I'm just screwing with you, kid," he said, taking initiative to sit on the corner of her slightly rumpled bed. "I don't give a shit if you ran naked through the halls to find her, though that would be a  _fantastic_  sight.."

"Stop it."

Negan laughed, balancing Lucille between his knees, looking up at the girl who was now only about three inches taller than him now that he was sitting. "According to Sherry she was pretty fucking cooperative," he said, raising his eyebrow, "Didn't give her shit about anything. No sass, no trouble.. Take notes, kid."

Riley glared, crossing her arms. "I bet Sherry didn't give her a reason to act like that, then."

"Or you just have a fucking temper," he said, sending her a smirk, "But that's alright, sweetheart, it's kind of hot."

"Is there something you needed, Negan? I'm pretty tired.."

"Sherry brought you the stuff?" he asked, his eyebrow still raised. 

"Yeah, she did.. Thanks, Negan. For that  _and_  the points."

"Gotta eat somehow, darlin'."

"Now what about everyone else?"

He frowned, "What about them?"

"Starr said you had them taken away, where are they?"

Negan laughed, picking Lucille up to twirl her around a bit, "That's none of your fucking business, Riley."

She glared, "It  _is_ my business because that's my family."

"Can't you just be grateful that I've been pretty goddamn generous to you since your boy Augustus threw you to the sharks?" he asked, standing up, once again towering over her. "Believe me, kid, this could have been  _way_ fucking worse for you."

"I just want to know where they are," she said, practically begging by this point, "I'll do anything, just tell me."

Negan smirked, licking his lips as he took a few steps closer, "You may want to rephrase that, sweetheart," he said, sending her a wink, "Don't quite think you'd be very appreciative." 

Riley sighed, bringing her hand up to her face where she rubbed her eyes, "Okay,  _what_ can I do just to get you to tell me?"

"Nothing," he said, smiling without a care in the world, "There's nothing you can do, because, well.. They haven't passed the test."

Riley frowned, looking up at him, "What test?"

"Your boy Blaine wants to be a Savior," he said, watching her with a raised eyebrow, "Now like you, he's gotta pass a fucking test. I don't need him _or_ you," he said, pointing a finger at her, "Fucking shit up and getting my people killed. Since I was with you all day, I had my man Simon take him out on a practice run and they have yet to return-"

"What about Avi?" she demanded, not caring that she had cut him off mid-sentence and he didn't seem pleased, "You've been avoiding it all day, I think I deserve answers."

Negan clicked his tongue, "Do you know what you deserve, kid? An ass beating, like a fucking five year old."

Riley scoffed, her hip jutting out a bit, "You offering?"

The look on Negan's face was priceless; he had not been expecting her to say that, perhaps be hit with an  _'you're disgusting'_  or maybe even a  _'fuck off'._ Not  _that._

"If you're into that kind of shit, sweetheart," he said, his eyes casually looking her up and down; unafraid. "I'd gladly fulfill any sexual preference of yours."

Riley rolled her eyes, taking her toothbrush and paste from her dresser, going into the bathroom. She heard Negan chuckle, and as she started brushing her teeth, she kept her eyes glued to the mirror.

Negan glanced around, seeing how well organized her room was. He should have known she'd be a clean freak. His eyes landed on the photos she had on her bedside table, immediately zoning in. He saw the photo of her and her brother, and what he assumed to be her parents posing for a photo. Her hair was shorter back then, curled and just reaching past her shoulders maybe an inch, but now it was long enough that a slight tilt of her head would make the tips touch her ass. He could see she looked like her mom, who was dark skinned and had that Hispanic look to her, making it easier to understand how she could be related to her brother that looked like a pale Jesus Christ. She took after her mother.

The next photo was of Riley and some brunette, around her age and also pretty, he'd admit. But he also couldn't help but think of how _beautiful_  the girl in the other room was. And he had what, seven or eight different wives to choose from?

Negan didn't realize he touched the picture with a finger until he felt a presence beside him. Looking up, he saw a sad looking Riley watching him, fingering the end of her gray shirt. Negan immediately dropped his hand, clearing his throat as he grabbed Lucille, standing up. "I have shit to do, wasted my whole day." he said, only speaking the half truth. 

Riley frowned, feeling a pang of hurt in her chest. 

_Wasted my whole day._

Suddenly pissed, her face morphed into one of irritation, smacking his leather clad arm (not so softly, he might add) as he passed by. Negan whirled, his face amused but also very angry.  _"What's your fucking problem?"_

"Me? Oh, I don't have a problem.  _It's you._ I never asked you to show me around today, Negan. Are you always in a shitty mood or are you just a dick around women?"

"Don't test me, kid-"

"I've been doing that all day," she said, straightening her posture, her arms folding across her chest, "I've been testing you, and testing you, and not  _once_ have you done anything about it."

"Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice loud and a bit scary. "You know, the thing about you Riley is that you look way too fucking sweet and innocent at first glance. Until you open up that fucking mouth of yours and piss me  _right_   the fuck off." 

"Then quit giving me reasons to piss you off!" she said, standing on her tippy-toes in an attempt to look at him better, "You don't have to make shit so fucking difficult; I'm not one of your men, I'm not going to undermine your authority or go around telling everybody all of your secrets, all I want is to see the rest of my family. That's  _it."_

"I'm sorry to break it to you, darlin'," he said, leaning his face down a little, "Your friend isn't going to be back with Simon for another day or so, and your brother, well, he's not going to be coming out for a while."

_"Why?"_

"He ran his mouth," he said, straightening up, lifting Lucille to twirl her in an attempt to intimidate her, which worked. "I tried to be nice to the guy, but the moment I mentioned you he went ape shit!" he said, actually laughing at the matter, "I'll admit, the asshole can really pack a punch, got me really good in the face."

"I don't see anything." Riley said, not seeing any bruises.

"I'm resilient like that," he said tapping Lucille against his thigh, "Now, that little smack of yours was cute and all, but him being a grown-ass man, and I ,who did him a favor by killing that pussy excuse for a man, and possibly protecting the rest of you, didn't take that lightly."

"You  _killed_ a man," Riley said, thinking back to her friend. "I think he deserves the right to be upset."

"Do you really think that fucking dickhead would have stood up for you guys?" Negan asked, their faces suddenly inches apart, "He couldn't even admit that he fucking stole my shit and killed two of my men. What do you fucking think would happen in another fucking situation, he'd chicken out and possibly get your sorry asses killed!"

Riley glared, not wanting to agree with him but she knew he was right, but Negan wasn't finished, "If he didn't have the guts to stand up to me, to admit what he did in front of his own people, he most definitely won't have them later on when the time came."

"Maybe you're right, Negan," she said, her eyes softening a bit. Enough that Negan noticed, "Um.. I.."

"What?" he asked, raising his eyebrow, "Spit it out."

Her eyes shifted to the bedside table, looking at the little drawer attached to it. Riley approached it, opening the drawer and pulling out the journal that was sitting on the very top. She could feel Negan's eyes watching her, but she tried to ignore the slight jolt of electricity going through her just by being under his gaze. 

"I figured something out," she said, moving to sit cross-legged on her bed, flipping to the journal entry from earlier. Riley looked up at Negan, seeing him watching her with an odd expression on his face, "Two weeks ago we were in town, the five of us, and Gus had said he was going across the street to look for weapons."

Riley could tell that Negan had suddenly become interested, as he set Lucille against the wall, before quietly moving to sit on her bed. He looked down at her journal; wanting to read what was written in some of the best handwriting he had ever seen, but also didn't want to invade her privacy. Which was very odd for him. 

"We were in  _Rite-Aid_ ," Riley said, gently scratching her chin, "It was the four of us for a while, but then these two guys came in. They had machetes, but Gus had taken the only gun we owned at the time, so we had our knives and that was it.. They demanded all of our things, and they wanted to take Starr and I.." she said, swallowing nervously, "I didn't know what was going to happen, I was more afraid for Avi than myself. I thought we were going to die, until Gus came out of nowhere, shooting them with one of your guns."

Negan could feel anger bubbling deep within his chest. He already knew what those assholes had planned for the two girls, and the very thought of sexual violence was enough to make him want to sucker punch somebody's grandma. "He told you he found them in that store." he said matter-of-factly.

Riley nodded, "Yep. We were just so grateful to be alive, we wanted to get out of there.. We probably would have gone into that store he claimed to go into if we hadn't been cornered by a bunch of dumbasses."

Unable to contain himself, Negan chuckled, laughing even harder at the look on Riley's face. "Kid, I said it once and I'll say it again, whenever you fucking curse it just makes me laugh."

"Shut up," she said, closing the cover. "That being said, how did you find where we lived?"

Negan stopped laughing, his face becoming dead serious. "I had sent out three guys. Only one came back," he said, grunting a little, "The damn survivor pisses me off a lot, even more than you do," Negan said, sending her a cocky grin, "But he fucking redeemed himself and followed you around, said you had found a cabin and cleared it out. He marked his path, came back and a few days after I sent out a group. I had to see what the hell I was dealing with, and the very first fucking day the pussy comes out, using  _my gun_  to take out a lone walker. A pretty stupid fucking move, I gotta fucking say."

"You were watching us the whole time?" Riley asked, disturbed by the whole idea of being spied on.

"I had to see what you were all about," Negan said, giving her a look, "We didn't go around peeping in your windows and shit, we just scoped the place out.. Then Dwighty-boy wakes me up at one o'fucking clock in the morning and tells me you guys were planning on bailing. I couldn't let that shit slide, so we moved in, and well," he chuckled, "Karma's a bitch."

"That explains a lot.." Riley mumbled, moving to put her journal away. Negan's eyes fell to her ass, smirking to himself before she turned around; his smirk quickly changing to a neutral expression. "Now that you know I'm not a fucking liar, can I fuck you now?"

Riley gasped, sending him a glare that only made him throw his head back and laugh. "In your dreams, Negan."

"I wouldn't say that, sweetheart," he said, standing up so he could tower over her tiny body, "I could have you withering underneath me in record time."

Riley chewed on her lip, unable to prevent the shiver that went down her spine at his words. Negan grinned; bringing back those little dimples around his mouth, the ones that she had to admit were adorable. They stared at each other, and the aroused part of Riley wanted to jump in his arms and allow him to have her, but the more rational part wanted to kick him out for being such an ass. Another part being she knew that if her family found out, they'd never forgive her. At least for the time being.

Instead, she did what she does best; challenging him. "Is that right?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Negan took a step closer, angling his head slightly to see her better, "Of course it's fucking right. Don't be ashamed, sweetheart," he said, sending her a wink, "I'd understand if you wanna test me out."

Riley raised her eyebrow, "I might be mistaken but did you just say that I could use you?"

"Shit, kid," he said, licking his bottom lip, "I'd allow that fucking shit to happen."

"Somehow I don't doubt that," she said, before gently shoving him towards the door, "Now go away. I'm tired."

Negan resisted halfway, putting all of his weight against her, making it difficult for her to move him. Riley placed her hands to his leather clad back, shoving with all of her body weight, but failed to move him. "Damn it, Negan-"

"Not very fucking strong," he said, grinning, enjoying every minute of this, "If you need exercise I'd give you a free workout."

 _"Stoooop,"_ Riley said, her words tough but he could hear her smiling, "You're worse than a freaking horny teenager."

Riley gave up, glaring at him when he angled his body enough to smirk down at her. His watch beeped, signaling it was now ten o'clock. "I'll get you into bed soon enough, Riley," he said, picking Lucille up by her handle. He brought his hand up to her face, letting his fingertips trail down the softness that was her tanned cheek. "Lucille can get a little jealous," he said, that slight Southern drawl coming back, "But as long as she can watch, we'd be okay."

Riley swallowed, kind of surprising herself when his hand didn't make her flinch. Her brown eyes stared up at him; brown eyes staring into brown eyes before he winked, still smirking that stupid smirk as he went to her door, yanking it open, "Your shift will be after your appointment with Carson. He'll decide how long you can stay out in the heat." 

That was the last thing he said before shutting the door, leaving Riley alone. She stood there for a moment, before turning off the light, hurrying into bed. The lights from the outside filtered in; not enough to keep her up, but enough to provide a little light to make her feel more comfortable. His words circled around in her head; tempting her so badly, but also degrading her at the same damn time. If he kept it up, she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to resist him, no matter what he did to her and her friends. 

Riley couldn't bring herself to shun him completely. Yes, he was intimidating. Yes, he killed Gus. Yes, he took most of their stuff. Yes, he was a foul-mouthed man whore, and he wasn't always the nicest person, but the attraction was there and she couldn't deny that.

_That night, Riley slipped into a troubled sleep. Avi was the star this time; his broken, battered body lying in a cold, dark holding cell. Dwight was standing on the other side of the gate, staring at her brother with a neutral expression on his face. Avi began to shift, his head slowly lifting to reveal misty gray eyes, walker moans emitting from him. Without hesitation, Dwight lifted a gun, pulling the trigger and shooting Avi clean through the forehead; his head whipping back as blood splattered on the wall, her dead brother slumping backwards._


	6. 5.

**SOMEWHERE IN THE SANCTUARY, A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN SAT IN A DARK, COLD CELL WITH ONLY THE CLOTHES ON HIS BACK AND A BLANKET DRAPED OVER HIS SHOULDERS.** Avriel Taylor had managed to sleep for a few hours before waking up, unable to fall back asleep. His back was pressed into the stone cold wall, and the tiny window adjacent to him allowed in little light from one of the light fixtures just outside his cell. It was early morning, and the only reason he knew that was because the Saviors didn't strip him of the wrist watch he had found many months ago. It was barely five-thirty in the morning, but he had hope for more sleep.

His mind was swarming with thoughts of Riley; where she was, how she was, if she had been fed, was she nice and cozy in a bed somewhere, or did Negan also have her locked up somewhere, too? Avi was never one for acting out, but when he had brought her up the day before, something in him had just snapped. All he wanted was to see his kin; his only reason for living nowadays was because of her.

There was a clank from afar, something he had grown used to in the fifteen some hours he had spent locked up. It seemed even a tiny gust of wind could make something shift and give off an eerie sound, or maybe it was just his imagination overreacting to the flood of thoughts going through his head.

With a defeated sigh, he crawled back over to the mat he was given that was just laying flat on the ground. There wasn't a pillow, but he had a blanket and he'd take that over a pillow any day. He shook the fabric from his shoulders, laying it on the semi-soft pad before laying down, bringing the blanket over his body, tucking his arm under his head in a comfortable position.

_Be good, Pumpkin._

_____

Riley awokesome hours later the most comfortable she had been in a long time. There was a tiny spot of drool on her pillow and her hair looked as if she had rode a few roller coasters before rolling right into bed to sleep. The room was extremely bright; too bright for her liking and if she wasn't so excited about doing what she assumed would be perimeter watch, she'd try and get some more sleep.

The room was a bit drafty, which didn't help in Riley's case as she tended to get cold quite often. She approached the window, bracing herself for a struggle when she unlocked the little switch at the top, thinking it wouldn't go up without a fight. Much to her surprise, though, it slid open with ease and she was automatically hit with a blast of chilly air. Riley could see a thick wall of clouds in the distance, and she knew that they'd probably be getting a second round of storms, and that meant that Riley had an excuse to wear her hoodie.

Her pajamas were off, and she was dressing in the jeans she had washed a few days before Negan's attack when a swift knock at her door startled her, "Last call for breakfast!"

_Shit._

Her actions became hurried, slipping on her socks before attempting to shove her feet in her boots at record time. Sherry had informed her that breakfast was until nine, so it came as no surprise when the clock in the hall read 8:40.

Of course, Riley wasn't surprised when she got lost halfway down. Her stomach was growling insistently, begging to be fed and Riley was almost desperate to feed it. It shouldn't be that hard, just walk to the steps, go all the way down, and make a dash across the way into the corridor that led them straight to the cafeteria.

Riley instead came to an area that Negan had left previously unexplored. There were heavy, gray doors that looked like they had seen better days. She could tell that they were sliding doors, and there was a smaller opening right above the handle. Riley licked her lips, knowing that she should turn around and go the way she came, but the curiosity of why Negan hadn't shown her this area meant it was either off-limits, or just empty.

Before she could comprehend what was happening, her feet had led her to the crossroads. A closer look at the first door faintly showed  **C-A-3444** , peaking her interest. C? A? That could be anything.

"You shouldn't be down here!"

Riley jumped, turning to see Dwight's pale, burnt face running at her. He held out an arm, breathing heavily as he stopped in front of her, "This is off limits unless instructed otherwise. Did Negan tell you to come down here?"

Riley's eyes fell to the walkie talkie clasped to his belt.

_Lie.. Yes yes yes yes._

"N-No," Riley said, bringing her eyes back to his face, "I got lost.."

Dwight stared at her, before laughing, "Pfft, okay then. Where are you going?"

"Cafeteria."

He laughed some more, "You're really lost then, aren't you? You're lucky I caught you, Negan would be pissed."

"Yeah, I'm sure he would," Riley said, before turning around, "Can you point me where I'm supposed to go?"

"Uhh, go out that door, go straight all the way down and make a right."

"Okay, thanks."

Dwight nodded; a look reaching his eyes that made Riley suspicious. Instead of asking about it, she pushed open the door, the cold wind assaulting her face. There was a path all the way down like he said, and as she got closer, she could see there was a left and a right way to go. He told her to go right, but that didn't stop her from pausing at the end of the way and looking to the left.

A few hundred feet or so, she could see a huge fence line that was just littered with the dead. Her eyes widened at the people carrying buckets, filled with what she assumed was food for the walkers. What the fuck.

Riley turned on her heel, taking off in the direction of the cafeteria. Don't panic, don't panic, you saw them at the front gate the other day.

_Yeah, but that was a few fucking **dozen.**_

She was panting and red in the face when she finally reached the familiar doors, pushing them open to reveal a deserted cafeteria. There were a few stragglers, of course, and a digital clock was blinking back at her with a teasing 9:05.

"Breakfast is over, you're late." a voice said from the counter, scooping a large tray of scrambled eggs into a clear, plastic container. He was older, a pale face with greasy hair that was tied back and away from his face.

Riley jutted out her hip, unintentionally pouting. There's still stuff left over, come on.

"Are you deaf?" he asked, glaring at the cute blonde staring at the eggs he was putting away, "Breakfast is over. Come back at noon for lunch, maybe get out of bed earli-"

"Trevor, shut the hell up and give her some food."

Riley looked to see Donovan appear with a large bag of broccoli, in which he set on the counter. She noticed that his hair was short and neatly styled in a shade of blonde that didn't seem natural, but it was definitely more clean and organized than Trevor's. He was a cute kid, but the look he was giving Trevor was pretty intimidating, at least for her.

"No, better yet, start washing this, it's my time to eat," Donovan said, before turning his green eyes to Riley, "Come on, you can be my guest."

Riley smiled, her eyes briefly flickering to Trevor who shot her a look, trudging over to the bag of veggies, tossing his gloves into the trash can before taking the bag and disappearing behind the set of doors leading to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry about him, he can be a huge ass," said Donovan, taking the spoon Trevor was using to scoop a few heaps of eggs onto two plates. "I try being a little more lenient if people come in a few minutes late.. Especially newbies." he said, sending her a grin which she reciprocated, "You get lost?"

"Yeah," Riley admitted, her face a little red when he chuckled, "I thought it would be easy but apparently I was wrong."

"Well, we've all been there.." Donovan came around the counter, handing her a plate. "We had toast and some fruit, but that's gone. I hope this is okay."

"No, no, it's great," Riley said, taking the plate from him. He led her to a table, sitting down and gesturing for her to take the seat across from him. "I haven't had eggs in a long time."

"Same here. We don't raise animals, but one of the other communities we trade with do."

Riley almost spit out her bite of egg, "There's more?"

Donovan nodded, his lips twitching at the obvious surprise and eagerness in her tone, "There's two that we know of, Hilltop and The Kingdom. I'm pretty sure Hilltop is where we get most of the vegetables, but we get beef from them every once in a while. The Kingdom is where most of the meat comes from, but they give us some other things too."

Riley stabbed at her food, trying to figure out how with three communities around, they had no idea they even existed. Perhaps it was them hiding in the woods for so long that kept them out of the loop and completely oblivious to what was going on around them. It was then she remembered one of the things Negan had said that first night, about giving him half of their stuff and continuing to do so, or come back with him and live here. "So, they trade with us and.. What do they get?"

Donovan looked up, a slight frown on his handsome face, "As far as I know they get a few extra eyes to patrol the area. There's so many of us to go around that you don't even notice a slight dent in our numbers."

Riley vaguely remembered Negan saying something about protection in exchange for goods. "So, they give us stuff but we don't reciprocate? At least not with physical items?"

"Yep. They give us what Negan demands, and they get whatever protection they need."

"And what if they can't?"

Donovan stayed quiet, eating his food and Riley frowned, looking at her half-eaten plate. At that point she didn't expect an answer, and based on his silence, she knew she was better off not knowing. After a few minutes of silence between them, Donovan spoke up, looking at her, "I never asked, what is your name?"

"Riley, Riley Taylor."

"Really? That was my dog's name."

Riley chuckled, "Are you serious?"

"Definitely! My older sister thought of it, it was her favorite."

"Wow, that's strangely flattering," Riley said, smiling brightly, ".. Is Donovan your first name?"

He shook his head, his cheeks slightly turning red, "Nah, it's my nickname, actually. My dad was from Ireland, and I guess that was what they were planning on naming me for the longest time. My friends found out, and.. It just stuck."

"Do you wish you had been?"

Donovan laughed, "When I was a kid, for sure. I thought it was so cool, but now I'm pretty indifferent about it.. It's not a huge disappointment, much like not having an accent like my father. None of my siblings had one either, our mom was American."

"I think accents are pretty cool.." she said, before smiling, "What's your real name?"

He smirked, putting his plastic fork on his now empty plate. "Jackson Walsh."

___

Riley was brushing her teeth in the bathroom when someone had knocked on her door.She rinsed out her mouth, putting the toothbrush on the freshly cleaned sink before answering it.

"You've been assigned a roommate," Dwight said, blocking her view from whoever was standing behind him. "I have to remind you to see Negan after your appointment with Dr. C, so don't forget or it will reflect badly on me."

"Umm, okay, thanks?"

"No problem," said Dwight, moving aside to reveal.. Blaine. "Move."

"Blaine?" Riley asked, looking at her friend who was sporting a cut on his pale cheek. His hair was messy and it looked as if he went through hell. He looked at her, making his way through the door and he managed a small smile, though his eyes were dark and unreadable. He was walking with a slight limp, but something told her it wasn't the run that did that to him. She turned her attention to Dwight who was eyeing him with disdain. "What happened to him?"

"It doesn't matter, just don't forget what I told you. Your friend made the group, but he's on temporary leave, that's all you need to know." Dwight said, before leaving and shutting the door louder than necessary.

"Blaine, are you okay?" Riley asked, looking over at him as he set a handful of sheets and blankets on the empty bed. They were red. "T-that's a stupid question, but.."

"Those assholes beat on me," Blaine said, wincing as he sat on the mattress. "I heard one of them say that Negan told them not to lay a finger on me, but they didn't care," he said, wincing when she gently touched the untreated cut right under his eye. "They waited until Simon left and they kicked me around a bit, but I'm okay.."

"Did they give you any of your things?" Riley asked, looking to see if he had his backpack on his shoulders. Nothing.

"They gave me this," he said, reaching into the ball of sheets to pull out a pair of boxers. "They got a kick out of it."

Riley cursed, wishing that Sherry had given her a first-aid kit or something the night before. "Is this your only cut?" she asked, carefully grabbing his hands, sliding up the sleeves of his loose gray sweatshirt. He had a few bruises, but no cuts or blood anywhere.

"Yeah, there was four of them, they only took about two hits each."

".. Was Dwight one of them?"

"No, they waited until he was gone, too. We had just gotten back and fucking Simon left to go tell Negan, even though he had a freaking walkie talkie."

Blaine was sweaty, and he didn't exactly smell fresh. Riley knew that he'd be a danger to himself if he attempted a shower, and she also knew that none of the men would appreciate having a female in their locker room. She'd ask Avi, but due to circumstance she knew that couldn't happen. Her heart hurt at the thought of him.

"Listen, I have an appointment with the doctor at three," she said, gently brushing his curls away from his forehead, "I can see if I can bring him up here, you don't need to walk down there, it's all the way in the basement.. Go in the bathroom and clean up your face, I'm gonna put these on here for you."

Blaine nodded, letting her carefully ease him back on his feet. He shuffled to the bathroom, a few grunts leaving his throat and when she heard the water turn on, she got to making his bed. Dwight had brought her sheets fresh out of their package, but these were a little older but in otherwise good condition. He was given two pillows as well, but she wondered why she got brand new sheets and his were used.

She was just putting the last pillow case on when he came out of the bathroom, his cut no longer bloody and his face and hair wet and free of dirt. He smiled at her the best he could, sitting on his bed and when he pulled her into a hug, she melted into his embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he said, nuzzling her shoulder. She hugged him tightly, mindful of his injuries before he spoke again, "We were all worried sick.. Starr, have you seen her?"

Riley nodded, gently pulling back, "I saw her last night. She has a roommate who is extremely nice. Her name is Phoebe."

Blaine nodded, a look of relief crossing his features, "Is she in the kitchen?.. Or the garden, I'm not entirely clear on that."

Riley laughed a little, "According to Phoebe whoever is in the kitchen also helps in the gardens. So, she's doing both. I haven't seen her since last night, though."

Blaine nodded, maneuvering himself around so he was laying back, his head touching his pillows. ".. Bailey?"

Riley frowned, "What about her?"

"Have you seen her?"

"No.. Uh, Negan said he let you have her."

Blaine's eyes narrowed, looking up at the ceiling, "He said that I could keep her, but they still took her away. I thought I'd be getting her when we got back, but I haven't heard anything.."

Riley chewed on her lip, her eyes falling to a bruise visible on his forearm, "Negan wants to put me on a job today, I can ask him then?.."

Blaine nodded, his eyes moving to her where he observed her carefully, "You say his name like you don't hate him."

Riley sighed, taking a seat on his bed. "He showed me around yesterday.. He gave me all of this stuff, he gave me my backpack, I just.."

"He killed Gus."

Riley sighed, biting back a groan, "I know he did. But Gus wasn't.. Innocent."

At the confused look he gave her, Riley went on to explain what she had found out, even taking out her journal to show him the proof that was as clear as day. As she told her story, it all seemed to make more sense to him. When she was done, he laughed without humor, his brown eyes watering slightly, "So he lied to us?"

Riley nodded, closing the cover of her journal.

"That.. That.." Blaine grunted, reaching a hand up to rub his eyes, "That bastard made me feel sorry for him. It's all his fucking fault!"

"Blaine," Riley said, gently touching his arm as if to calm him down, "He's gone, there's nothing we can do. He'd still be here if he hadn't.."

"We wouldn't be here if he wasn't such an asshole!" Blaine said, looking up at her, "I haven't seen my fucking girlfriend, your brother is locked up, and.."

"Hey, hey, it's-"

Blaine shook his head, sniffling, before gently turning on his side, his back to her, "I can't believe him."

**___**

Riley left Blaine alone after that, shutting off the lights and leaving the room when the clock said 2:50. The sky was a dark, cloudy gray, and she knew that when it was her shift, it would be raining cats and dogs. Surprisingly, she didn't get lost this time, instead going down to the basement and across the stretch of hallway she saw the stairs leading into the stairwell Negan had pushed her-

_okay that's enough_

She approached the door she was sure had been her place of rest the day before, and wasn't surprised to see it shut. Riley considered knocking, but assumed if he was in there he'd be with a patient and she didn't want to intrude. Instead she sat on the floor across from the space, bringing her legs up to wrap her arms around them.

It seemed like forever when the door finally opened, revealing an unfamiliar male and Carson who ushered him out, sending him on his way. He smiled down at Riley, gesturing for her to stand. "I'm sorry about that, I hope you weren't waiting long."

Riley shook her head, watching as he shut the door and locked it. "My office is actually on the next floor, this is just an observation room."

"Oh.." Riley said, nodding as he led her down the hall to the stairs, "You only keep.. Special needs patients?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Carson said, looking back at her, "Like you, we didn't know when you'd wake up so we kept you down there for observation. Upstairs is where I do the check ups, stitching, cleaning a wound, whatever."

Riley followed Carson up the flight of stairs, not minding the silence between them while he took her to a room that was much bigger than what was downstairs.

This room had windows, and she could tell it was his actual place of work when it was messier than what was down below. He wasn't a total slob, but it gave her the impression he wasn't as OCD as one might assume about the only doctor in the compound. There was a little bed placed in the middle of the room, and she took initiative to hop on it while Carson pulled out the paper he had copied her information down on the day before.

"Have you had any headaches or any other pains?" he asked, clicking his pen.

"It's been mild, I only took a few doses of the Ibuprofen."

Carson nodded, coming over to inspect her head. "I usually don't do this unless you've hit your head on something hard like a rock," he said, pressing the pads of his fingers to the spot where she had landed the other night. "But I want to be thorough, especially since you fell in the mud."

Riley smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, it wasn't my best moment.."

Carson chuckled, releasing his grip on her head. "Have you been experiencing any nausea-" he asked, taking the flashlight out of his pocket, "Follow my finger."

She did so, "No.. I've been eating and drinking water."

"Have you visited commissary?" he asked, clicking off the flashlight to write something on her chart. "Your vitals are good, just as yesterday."

"Commissary?" she asked, looking up at Carson who did the same after scribbling something down.

"Commissary- You know, where you can buy things with the points you earned."

"N-No, I haven't been given points yet.." she said, conveniently leaving out whatever Negan had given her for meals. "Why?"

"We have packs of water down there," he said, straightening his posture, "Whenever you get some, go down and get a few bottles. Water is water, boss isn't stingy about it but everyone wants the good stuff. Okay?"

Riley nodded, "Okay.."

Carson went over to one of the hooks on the wall, taking the blood pressure monitor he had hanging up. "If your pressure is normal, you're free to do whatever it is you please," he said, wrapping the cuff around her clothed upper arm. "Have you decided what you're going to do?" he asked, already pumping the little black.. squishy thing.

Riley cleared her throat, trying to ignore the slight sliver of pleasure that coursed through her body from the pressure in her arm. Pain. "Yeah, I'm going to be a Savior."

Carson paused, his eyes flashing to meet hers as the cuff slowly loosened, and he glanced down at the analog before unwrapping the cuff, going over to her chart. "Pressure is normal.. So, a Savior, huh?"

"Yeah.. That's what I requested."

"Very brave of you," he said, looking at her after writing something down, "Not many woman are keen about going outside the walls once they're in. Kudos to you."

Riley nodded, "Thanks.."

"Well, everything looks good. You shouldn't need any more medication, but whatever is left of the Ibuprofen, keep it. If anything else happens, like nausea or vomiting come and tell me immediately. Normally fainting doesn't require a whole lot of medical attention, unless the patient receives trauma to the head. But, because of your BP levels I just wanted to be sure. You're free to go." he said, smiling a little when Riley jumped up, relieved and ecstatic at the news.

"Thank you very much, Dr. Carson."

"No problem," he said, opening the door for her. "Be careful, alright? Negan likes to test out the newbies, but I think it's safe to say he has a bit of a soft spot for you."

Riley paused in the doorway, swallowing down the word vomit. "Thank you, Carson.. I'll be fine, I'd like to think I'm pretty well off."

"I honestly don't doubt it, Riley."

".. One more thing.."

___

Riley ran up the steps, giddy about being in the clear and the fact that Carson had agreed to go up and examine Blaine. A few passing eyes gave her a look as she whizzed by, partially sweaty and out of breath when she finally reached the sixth floor.

Like yesterday, the floor was practically desolate. It was relatively quiet, but the further she got into the room, the sound of music faintly playing and hushed conversation became more clear. It made her curious as to who the girls were, and she wondered if Sherry was in there..

_"-Ugn, Negan!"_

Riley froze, coming to a halt in front of the door to Negan's room. There was a faint bang! And another moan seemed to float through the door and assault her right in the ears.  _"Negan!"_

"Oh.. God.." Riley whispered, feeling her cheeks flood in embarrassment. Riley wasn't a virgin, but not once had she watched or even heard somebody else having sex. Being the awkward teenager she was, sex was always a difficult subject for her even after  losing her virginity. Hearing Negan and whoever was in there with him was enough to want to make her flee the scene and hide under a rock.

Instead of knocking and interrupting their love fest, Riley continued the rest of the way down and sat next to the door leading into the other stairwell. She was far enough that she didn't hear anymore noises coming from his room, but it seemed whatever room the music was playing in was connected to the air vent that was right next to her on the wall. It was the perfect distraction, even if it was a song she wasn't familiar with.

This floor didn't have a clock, so she was completely oblivious to the time. After a few songs, she began to get restless and Negan still hadn't come out of his room. Riley always had a bad habit of getting impatient easily, but it was always worse whenever she was excited about something, much like any other human. She found herself standing in front of his door, ignoring the squealing she heard on the other side when she raised her fist and pounded on it.

"Are you done in there!?" she yelled, stopping her fist but keeping it on the door just in case she needed to keep knocking.

Inside, Negan pulled himself away from a trembling Amber, yanking up his boxers as the blonde straightened up, looking at him with a hint of annoyance. "Mother fucking fuck," Negan said, tucking his half erect dick into the fabric, before sliding on his dark jeans while the blonde just stood around, her arms crossed over her chest as if refusing to move. "Amber, get your shit on and get the hell out of here."

Amber sighed, mumbling something under her breath when she swiped her pink panties from the floor, sliding them on while Negan slid on his shirt, putting his leather jacket on over it. That fucking Riley was going to be the motherfucking death of him.

Negan didn't bother to check if Amber was dressed, going to the door and swinging it open, revealing an angry but cute Riley Taylor on the other side, her arm falling to her hip. He couldn't help but smirk at her, not commenting when a fully dressed Amber pushed her way through, keeping her head ducked as she took off down the hall and into her room.

"Why hello," Negan said, grinning at the look of embarrassment that flooded her cheeks. "Kid, you have the worst motherfucking timing than anyone else I know."

"I've been waiting out here for.." she trailed off, shaking her head, "I don't know how long, but I've been out here long enough and you've been going at it forever!"

Negan laughed, "Anything worth doing is worth doing right, sweetheart," he said, sending her a wink. Riley glared, wanting to go in but at the same time wanting to avoid being in the same room that probably now reeked like sex. Negan was still grinning at her, and it was making her angry that he didn't seem to care that she was uncomfortable about the whole situation. He only made it worse when, "You should have joined, kid. I can multi-task better than the fucking President."

"That's gross.." Riley said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Negan smirked, stepping back into his room, kicking one of the pillows that had fallen off during his little wrestling match with Amber. He was pleased to see her hesitantly come in from the corner of his eye, and when he turned to look at her, he saw her nose crinkle slightly. He clicked his tongue, tilting his head to the side to look at her, "What did Carson say?" he asked, watching as her eyes swept over the mess of pillows and other objects that had clattered to the floor.

"He said I'm good to go," she said, finally looking up at him, "I'm ready to start."

"Ahh," he said, his grin getting bigger, though Riley was sure that his mouth would fall off if it kept growing, "Your determination is really.. inspirational and all that shit," he said, waving a hand in her direction, "I gotta ask, though, just to be sure."

Riley sighed, bringing a hand up to rub her eyes, "What is it?"

"Why do you look so disappointed?" he asked, his grin staying the exact same, "Do you regret not becoming a wife? If so, kid, this is the only time I'm gonna ask again."

Riley tried to hide it, but she couldn't help but laugh, even if it was against her better judgement to show any sort of amusement on the subject. "You know, I don't think you need another wife. It sounded to me like you were in good hands."

Negan was a smart man, and nothing ever got past him, but somehow this went right over his head. He cocked an eyebrow, watching as the young adult turned around, heading for the door that she had left open. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked, taking a step forward.

Riley paused, turning her body enough to where she could get a good look at him. They stared each other down, Negan's flaccid dick twitching at the sight of her ass in those jeans and the fullness of her breasts that even showed through the hoodie she was wearing. If he kept it up, blue balls was going to be a fucking bitch.

A look of mischief crossed her features, and his interest was peaked..

Until she opened her fucking mouth.

_"Ugn, Negan!.. Negan!"_

The look on his face was priceless, and at that moment that man was anything but intimidating, and there was nothing he could say or do that would ruin her good mood. Negan knew that Amber was always loud, but she wasn't the loudest, and if Riley could hear that, then he was tempted to go and fetch Maria and make her listen to that shit.

"Very fucking funny," he said, unable to prevent the little laugh that escaped him, "That's just the start of it, babydoll," he said, grabbing Lucille on their way out.

"Yeah, yeah, you're a real fucking champ at giving girls the dick." Riley said, knowingly feeding his already bulging ego.

"You fucking got that shit right!"

___

Her prediction from earlier came true; it would be raining cats and dogs when her shift began.

"Fuck, kid, this shit is really coming down!" Negan said, his voice loud as they stood under the awning that was placed right in front of the armory. They had made it under just in time, and Riley wondered if he would have cared if Lucille had gotten wet. He already bathed her in brains, why should water be any different?

"What do you do when it rains?" Riley asked, her voice loud as the rain was really coming down and the sound of it hitting the awning made it three times louder than normal. There were people running around, taking cover and a few of the younger kids screaming in delight as they dashed across the courtyard, their parents chasing after them. The sight made Riley giggle.

"The rain usually slows those fuckers down," Negan said, his eyes falling to a smiling Riley. "The walkers we have on the fence struggle but they're still there, and nobody in their fucking right mind would try attacking this place. Since the walkers are slowed down, we don't worry about them until after it passes. If they get bad, well, we have guns and a shit load of ammo."

Riley nodded, shivering when a cold draft seemed to go right through her hoodie. Negan glanced down at her, before looking ahead at the rain that wasn't about to let up anytime soon. "Feel like making a break for it?" he asked, peeking down at her again.

Riley looked up at him, a strand of hair falling in her face, "And go where?"

Negan grinned, reaching up to move the blonde curl that obscured her right eye from his view, "To that building over there," he said, pointing across the way to a single building sitting casually on the other side. "Got some real good shit in there, but if you wanna go back to your room, then be my guest."

Riley's fingers curled at the slight touch of his finger on her nose. She already knew that she wanted to go with him, but she didn't want him to know that. Instead she pretended to ponder, feeling his eyes on her, "Hmm, go to the comfort and privacy of my own room or continue to be seen with you," she said, grinning when she heard him laugh. "Wow, that's a hard one."

"Mhm, speaking of something hard, you should see my dick."

"Negan!" Riley said, looking up at his taller frame with disgust and amusement rolled into one package. "You need to start watching your mouth, there's kids around here."

Negan laughed, tightening his grip on Lucille as he prepared to tear ass to get to the other side. "They'll get over it, sweetheart. It's all part of the charm."

Riley smiled, watching as he took off and started running in the direction of whatever waited on the other side for them. Without even thinking about it, Riley sprinted after him, unable to hold in the giggles as the rain continued to pelt her entire body, making it a pleasurable but.. cold experience.

Much to his surprise, it didn't take long for her to catch up to him. He had at least a twenty second head start, but when she ended up zooming past him, he couldn't help but wonder if she was an athlete.

Riley reached the door before him, trying the handle just to find it was locked. Her luck, of course, there was no awning to hide under, and the rain had gotten heavier if possible. She was now completely soaked, and Negan wasn't much better when he approached with a set of keys, pushing one into the lock and letting the door swing open.

"That was some shit," Negan said, flicking on the light before he shut the door, locking it. He was dripping wet, and the smooth wooden surface of Lucille was also soaked. "My girl's all wet." he said, lifting her up as Riley turned to look at him, her eyes focusing in on the bat.

Riley snickered, reaching down to peel the completely drenched hoodie from her body. She was wearing a plain black shirt, which was damp but not uncomfortably so. Negan licked his lips, also peeling off his jacket, looking down at his completely soaked shirt. You could see the outline of his chest, making him smirk at the little lady hanging her hoodie up to dry, "I gotta say, kid, you're one hell of a runner."

Riley shrugged, bending down to take off her boots that were soaking wet, "I don't know why, I only played basketball for two years, I was never one for exercise."

_Ahh, there we go._

Riley looked up at him, her eyes immediately zoning in on his muscular torso. She swallowed, dropping her eyes back to her shoes as she set them aside, peeling off her socks. Unbeknownst to her, Negan had seen it and was now smirking so hard that his lips would probably fall right off his face. One thing about Negan was that he wasn't shy, but because of.. circumstance, he'd keep his jeans on and pretend that the completely soaked fabric wasn't bothering him and squeezing his legs more than he liked. "You're fast on your feet. That can be very, very useful."

Riley chuckled, standing up, ignoring the wetness in her jeans. "All the more reason to put me on the squad," she said, turning around to get a good look at the room, "But, that's up to you."

The space they were in wasn't huge or too small, no. It was the perfect size for the things they had in here. There was a decent sized bookcase next to the curtain covered window, and beside it was three comfy looking chairs; a pillow on each and a blanket thrown over the back of one of them. There was a counter on the far left-hand corner on the building, a bunch of glass liquor bottles settled on top, most of them half empty though some were still completely full. There was a fireplace next to the front door, and like some cheesy romance movie, a pretty white rug sat in front of it. Beyond that stood a pool table that looked brand new.

"So.. a pool table, huh?" Riley asked, gently running her finger over the smoothness of the hardwood edge. She heard shuffling behind her, and it sounded like a whoosh! He must have lit the fireplace.

"It's been here as long as I have," Negan said, grabbing Lucille to put her away from the fire. "This room was left the exact same, guess whoever worked here before needed a REC area of their own."

"It looks brand new," Riley said, pushing her wet hair away from her face. "Do you actually let people use it?"

"If they promise not to be a fucking dumbass and wreck it," Negan said, walking over to the stand that held four different colored cue sticks. "You ever play, darlin'?" he asked, taking the nicest looking one from it's spot. It was all white and shiny.

"A few times, yeah.." Riley said, leaving out the part that most of it was played online, though she did have her share of playing it in real life. "I'm not really good, though."

Negan scoffed, taking one of the shorter ones and handing it to her, "I'll be the judge of that, kid. I'll break."

**___**

"You're solids!"

"I know!" Riley said, pouting when her solid red ball smacked into one of his striped ones, knocking it right into a hole. "Your stupid ball got in the way!"

Negan laughed loudly, ignoring the pout she was sporting when she straightened her posture, taking her cue stick and fighting the urge to smack his stupid face with it. "My turn," he said, walking around the table to line his cue up with the cue ball. "Kid, I'm beating your  _ass."_

"Shut up, Negan."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he lined his sights with the blue-striped ball resting casually about eight inches from his position. "I'm five balls down and you only knocked in two."

"I told you I suck! You've probably played this game so many times you could do it in your sleep."

You have no idea, girl.

He grinned, strategically bringing his arm back and smacking the cue, leaning up to watch it soar across the table and smack into his target, pushing it into the side wall before it careened and plopped right into the hole on the far left-hand side of the table.

"See that? That's how it's done, sweetheart."

Riley rolled her eyes, fighting the urge to smile. "If I wasn't afraid that you'd cry I'd tell you to go and fuck yourself."

Negan raised his eyebrows, that same grin blossoming on his features as he walked around the table, brushing past her on purpose as he observed where the cue landed and what the next best course of action would be, "I wouldn't have to if you finally put out," he said, almost waiting for the smack on the back of his head that never came. "It seems like you still have the balls," he said, leaning over the table once he decided his next move, "Of course, not the ones sitting right in front of you, but those fucking big ones you somehow grew the other night. If one of my men said that to me I'd deck them in their fucking face."

"Why do you let me get away with it?" Riley asked, pouting when he sunk another ball. If he sunk the black one, he'd win, "Is it because I'm a girl?"

Negan licked his lip, elated at his near win when he turned, looking at her. "For one, I actually like you, believe it or not. Two, it's actually kind of cute when you act like you're all big and tough, and third, it's hot as hell."

"Is that all you think about?" she asked, almost kicking her cue when he sunk the black eight ball. "If someone is attractive, or if they'd have sex with you?"

Grinning because of his win, he chuckled, watching Riley pout under his intense gaze. "Are you just now catching on, Riley? I didn't think you were that slow."

Riley shook her head, smiling a little, "I'm serious."

"And so am I.." he said, ".. Wanna play again?"

After another game, in which Negan won again, they were comfortably dry. Negan secretly watched as Riley tied her hair back, brushing the blonde curls away from her face and into a loose bun. The rain had let up, and since his jacket was dry and her hoodie wasn't a droopy mess of fabric anymore, Negan decided it was time to quit fucking around and get back to work. He needed to figure out when the last time he applied that damn protective coating shit to his jacket, he didn't need the fabric fading out after some frolic in the rain.

"Now that it's almost dinner time, I'll have you out until seven-fifteen, you'd get two and a half hours worth of points," Negan said, making sure the fire was completely out before heading towards the door. "You'll return your knife and your gun when someone comes and collects you. I have Tyson in charge of the armory, so make sure he sees you returning your shit."

"When will I be able to carry a weapon with me all of the time?" Riley asked, following him into the damp outside world. Others seemed to have the same idea; coming out of the confines of the buildings and back to what they had been doing before the rain came.

"When I fucking trust you enough."

They walked across the grounds, heading towards the armory. The sky was still a cloudy gray, and it didn't look like the sun would be coming out for the rest of the day. Negan reached into his pocket, pulling out the set of keys he had used earlier, unlocking the door and allowing her to go in first.

Riley wasn't sure what to expect when she walked in, but upon seeing the amount of weapons that were stashed in here, you'd think they robbed a military base or maybe even a prison. There were guns of every kind neatly placed on shelves; some hanging from their straps, others set on tables or in cases. Revolvers, rifles, semi-automatics, you name it. Riley was always a little weary of guns. Her father owned one before the end, and she had never shot one or had seen one being used in real life. The few times she had held one, it felt almost wrong to touch such an object that was used to kill people for what always seemed like a pointless reason. Now, she was a good shot, even though their gun inventory had always been extremely scarce.

Negan led her to the right hand side of the building, passing the rows of guns until they were in an area filled with knives, hatches, and even a sword. Some of the knives were simple enough, but others looked like they could gut somebody completely just by touching them with the tip. Some were curved and jagged, and she could admit that some looked pretty cool and colorful.

"Do you have a preference?" Negan asked, his voice really loud. "As you can see, we have quite the fucking inventory."

"Knives? No, I can use anything for the most part. Guns.." Riley thought for a moment, watching as he observed the knives with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Anything but one of those giants." Riley said, pointing to one of the semi-automatic rifles casually just sitting on table with a long row of others.

Negan scoffed, taking one of the less dangerous looking knives, handing it to her along with it's sheath to attach to her jeans. "Shit, kid, even _I_ wouldn't let you use that fucker if you asked."

Riley rolled her eyes, taking the knife from him, already clasping it to one of her belt loops. "Lucky for you that I already told you no."

Negan walked over, taking a 9mm from it's shelf, before gesturing for her to stay there. He walked ahead, disappearing from her view.

_"- hunting knife 44 and 9mm pistol 20-"_

Riley chewed on her lip, barely able to hear Negan's voice. He had disappeared from her view completely, and she didn't even know what direction he had went in after walking up the aisle. She heard someone laugh. Assuming it was Tyson, she attempted to peek around the shelf she was standing by, only to find nothing but more shelf.

"Okay, kid, I've got shit to do," said Negan, his voice loud enough that it startled her. Riley turned around, seeing Negan check the gun for ammo before handing it over, holster included. As she reached for it, he snagged it back, giving her a look as if to say, don't fuck this shit up. "I'm pulling too many fucking strings as it is by giving you this gun and not checking to see if you could actually use it," he said, his brown eyes piercing through her soul. "One of my men saw you kill that walker the other day, so I know you're decent with a knife. But a gun," he said, still holding said weapon away from her, even when she attempted to grab it again, "Is serious fucking shit and if you make me regret giving this to you, you're going to regret it. Understood?"

Riley swallowed, looking up at the large, intimidating leader who was boring his eyes into hers, making her uncomfortable. She nodded, waiting for him to grin that stupid grin or smirk that stupid freaking smirk, but it never came. Riley knew he was completely serious, even so that his easy going personality wouldn't dare show at a time like this.

"What was that? I can't hear you." he said, leaning his head closer to hers, still no smile or smirk.

"Y-yes, I understand." Riley said, nodding again.

"Fan-fucking-tastic." Negan said, finally grinning when he handed her the weapon, watching as she expertly holstered it to the side of her jeans that didn't hold the knife. "Walk laps around the fence, don't fucking get distracted. We have more than one person on perimeter watch at a time, so don't go and get all bossy if someone else comes along."

"Thanks, Negan."

"Don't fucking thank me, sweetheart," Negan said, gesturing for her to walk ahead, "Just don't make me regret this."

**___**

"Riley!"

Riley turned around, mentally taking note that she was on lap five as of five-thirty. Beyond her, she saw Phoebe waving enthusiastically; a large basket of strawberries being held by her other arm. Riley smiled, waving in return, fully expecting a conversation with her, though Negan's words rang through her head.

_Don't get distracted._

"Are you on duty?" Phoebe asked when Riley got closer, taking initiative to keep stride with Riley. Riley had seen her other personnel walking around with either their gun or knife and hand, so she had decided to try walking with her knife clutched in her dominant hand. She found herself squeezing the handle often, as if trying to ease any tension or nervousness she had felt since it was her first run on watch duty. Nothing could go wrong, right?

"Yeah, just for a little while, though," Riley said, smiling at her friend, "What's that for?" she asked, her mouth watering at the sight of her favorite fruit.

"Oh, Donovan wants to make something really good with these babies tomorrow," Phoebe said, holding the basket up as if to unintentionally tease Riley. "Every so often we have dessert, maybe tomorrow will be the day!"

"If so, make sure you save me a little. If I do a good job, I hope Negan let's me stay."

"You still have to pass that other test thing," Phoebe said, giving Riley a bit of a sympathetic smile, "If you pass this but fail the other, he'll toss you out completely."

Riley paled, "Out of the Sanctuary?"

"No, you won't be a Savior anymore. You'd just be.. One of us," she said, shrugging a little when they approached the building that housed the cafeteria. "I don't know if we're all considered Saviors, but you know what I mean."

Riley nodded, pressing her lips together in a thin line. Don't get distracted. "It was nice talking to you, Phoebe, but I gotta get going."

"Okay, no problem! See you later!"

Riley watched Phoebe walk off, humming a little tune while taking the basket of berries away from Riley. Her mouth watered at the thought of strawberries, but she swallowed it down and continued on, starting to hum to herself as she grew farther and farther away from the cafeteria, approaching the fence as it veered off to the left.

Shit, I should have asked how Starlett was doing. Fuck.

Riley sighed, gripping the handle tightly as she passed the creepy walkers with the poles pierced through their bodies. There were a few men out there, and she could only assume they were keeping the walkers contained and making sure they didn't slip off and wander away. They ignored her, which was alright, but she was too fascinated by what was happening and couldn't pull herself to look away.

She had just reached lap six when a walker approached her from the other side of the fence, threading it's fingers through the fence as it growled at her, snapping it's jaw before reaching out to her.

Riley paused, observing the ugly, dead walker that was desperately reaching for what it hoped was it's next meal. It was a woman. Torn clothes, long, thin hair that looked as if it had been rolled through the mud, and a scarily thin body that she couldn't tell if she was always that skinny or if it was because she was now dead. Despite all the blood and gore covering it, her eyes zoned in on a ring that was still resting on her finger. It was dirty and caked with mud, blood, and what looked to be pieces of dirt. It was so dirty that she couldn't make out the color or the gem, but she wondered if it was an engagement ring of some sort or just a piece of jewelry that was once extremely beautiful.

Riley shook her head, reaching up to grab the walker through the fence. Her small hand wrapped around it's neck with ease, wasting no time in plunging the knife straight through it's forehead. Blood spurted from the wound, thankfully missing Riley's face and instead flying right over her head and onto the ground below. The groans and hissing stopped, it's body going limp before she shoved it back, watching it fall with a certain amount of grace before it crashed to the ground.

 **Riley:** OneWalker:  **Zero**

**___**

The nice weather didn't last long, much to her irritation.It was a moderate drizzle, but she had looked at the analog clock that was set up on one of the inner walls of the Sanctuary and saw she still had her fifteen minutes left before it was time to turn in her weapons. The sky was now darker as the sun had started going down on top of it already being completely cloudy, so the outside lights have come on, giving her light.

It seemed whoever was on perimeter watch with her had bailed, as she hadn't passed anyone since the rain had started. That's great, now I'm alone. Just power through it, you'll be fine, it's not even raining that hard.

She had lost count of her laps on about forty-five or forty-six, so when she approached the starting point, she wasn't surprised to see it was absolutely desolate. Riley wondered if Phoebe and Starr were still in the kitchen, if Blaine had eaten, and if Avi had been released. That seemed very unlikely, as Negan seemed hell bent on keeping him locked out for decking him in the face. Riley couldn't help but smile, hating her brother for getting himself locked up, but also appreciating that he loved her so much.

In order to keep herself occupied, Riley began to quietly sing one of the songs she had heard one of Negan's wives playing while she was stuck sitting in the hallway while he banged that one girl. It was a song from one of her favorite movies; Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It wasn't entirely loud, but anyone within a few feet of her would be able to hear it.

She had just passed the cafeteria when someone said, "You sing in the rain often?"

Riley froze, backing up when she heard the familiar voice of Donovan.. Jackson. "What?"

Jackson chuckled, walking towards her, holding an umbrella over his head. He held it over her head, not caring when it began to rain on him instead of her. "I asked if you sing in the rain often.. Singing in the Rain."

"Ahh, not really, no." Riley said, smiling a little, "I was alone and I got bored."

"That makes sense," he said, smiling at her, "You sounded good."

"Thanks, Jackson.. Uhh, should I call you that?"

"In private you can, you're the only one besides Phoebe who knows. You know her, right?"

Riley nodded, "Yeah, she's roommates with my friend."

"That's right," he said, remembering that she mentioned it earlier. "Well, how about you come and eat? Trevor won't be an asshole, I promise. I'm turning in for the night after I eat. Care to join?"

"That'd be great, thank you." Riley said, smiling as they began to walk towards the cafe. She snuck another glance at the clock, almost scoffing when she realized it was  _7:15._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed!


	7. 6.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONG FOR THIS CHAPTER:
> 
> STANDING BY, PENTATONIX

_I have waited a thousand years,_  
And now that tomorrow's here,  
I will shout from the mountain top  
Our hearts belong near.  
And we've traveled land and sea,  
Our beacon the love we keep,  
_But when we unite,  
_ _This will all have been our dream._

 

 **NEGAN PACED BACK AND FORTH IN HIS ROOM, TYSON ANXIOUSLY BITING ON HIS LIP, WAITING PATIENTLY IN THE CORNER FOR NEGAN TO SAY SOMETHING.**  It was nearing eight o'clock, and Tyson always closed down the armory at eight-thirty unless instructed otherwise. All of the weapons that belonged in there were accounted for.. all but two.

"Are you sure they haven't been brought back?" asked Negan, pausing in his steps to face a nervous looking Tyson. Negan was a good three inches taller, but Tyson had a good twenty or so pounds of muscle to him that Negan didn't. They were always on good terms, and it wasn't his fault that girl  _Riley_  didn't bring back her gun and knife like she was supposed to on time. If he got in trouble for some stupid girls mistake, shit would hit the fan real quick. 

"I'm sure, sir. I checked my desk  _and_  the tables you got them from. The posts were empty, sir."

Negan sighed, running a hand along his face.  _Fuck.. fuck fuck fuck fuck._

"Go back down, make sure they haven't been put back. I'm going to find her, call in when you get there." Negan said, shoving his feet into his boots. He was no longer dressed in his attire from earlier; instead wearing sweatpants and a loose red shirt. Appearances were always important, but fuck if that was his first priority at the moment. 

"Yes, Negan, sir." Tyson said, giving him a brief nod before turning and all but running down the hall. 

Negan stood up, shrugging on his jacket that had just been freshly polished, courtesy of Amber. Lucille was sitting on her perch beside his bed, and he grabbed her before heading out in search of that girl and  _his_ shit.

___

"You should try eating a little slower.." Riley said, scooping up a spoonful of mashed potatoes.  _Real_ mashed potatoes. Not that flaky shit in a box. "It's not going anywhere, you know."

Jackson shrugged, shoveling said potatoes into his mouth. Jackson seemed like he was that one hot, muscular kid in school that everyone wanted or wanted to _be._ At least, that's what Riley's interpretation of him was. He was just very sweet, and seemed to have a bottomless pit for a stomach.

Dinner was truly delicious, though it seemed almost too good to be true, especially in the freaking apocalypse.  All they ever lived on was food from a can, maybe some things like crackers, or stale cereal, but never stuff that reminded Riley of what her mother Cristina used to make back in the day. 

A tiny dot of potato slipped off her fork, landing on her relatively clean pant leg. Riley cursed, setting her fork down to grab the napkin that was sitting on the table. She started cleaning her jeans, mentally cursing while Jackson was too occupied with eating that he didn't even notice.

Her hand bumped something soft and leathery.

Upon the realization that she was staring at her knife holster, her eyes slid over to the gun holstered to the other side of her waist. Springing up from the chair, Jackson jumped in surprise, dropping his plastic spoon on the table, "Shit!"

 _"Shit-"_ Riley said, ignoring the twenty or so pairs of eyes on her, including Jackson and whoever was up front serving food. "I forgot to take these back!" she said, lowering her voice to a whisper when their fellow neighbors turned back to their food and conversation. "Negan's going to kill me, he told me not to get distracted and.. and.."  
  
"Hey, it's okay," Jackson said, standing up from his seat, "Come on, I'll go with yo-"

_Bang!_

The entire cafeteria whipped their heads around, looking at the set of double doors that were now flung wide open and occupied with an angry, tired looking Negan. Any conversation that was happening immediately ceased, and it was a eerie, dead silence. It seemed even the kitchen staff behind the thick wall separating the kitchen from the serving area heard the commotion and stopped all work. 

Riley's heart was pounding in her chest; watching as Negan stepped through, Lucille casually leaning against his shoulder in her signature style. His eyes observed the room, his lips slightly pursed as he searched for what she knew was herself. Jackson slipped beside her, his much taller figure towering over her and making her feel a tad bit safer, though she wasn't about to let him take blame for anything. Especially since they only just started to become friends. 

When his eyes found her, he straightened up, not even acknowledging the few bystanders that had kneeled upon his entry. Riley's heart was on overdrive, and it was almost as if the entire room noticed, as their eyes slowly slid over to her. 

"Don't panic," Jackson said, mumbling under his breath as Negan grinned; a sickly sweet smile, one that sent a shiver down her spine. "It's okay."

"Donovan, my boy!" Negan said, startling most of the room; Riley and Jackson included. "Acquainting yourself with our newest guest, I see?"

Jackson visibly swallowed, glancing down at an equally as nervous Riley. As far as she knew, Donovan told her he had always been on good terms with Negan, so there was never any conflict of interest between the two. He was the only surviving member of his family, just like Blaine and Starr, which was sad but it inspired him to work hard and hopefully make his parents proud by following rules and not fucking shit up.

"Y-yes, sir. We were just.."

 _"Riley-"_ Negan said, his grin getting impossibly bigger, "Usually I don't fucking care, but do you mind if I cut in?"

Riley frowned, glancing up at Jackson who only watched Negan with uncertainty. She couldn't tell if he was being serious or was just fucking with her head. So, instead, she nodded, carefully stepping away from Jackson who dropped his eyes from Negan, not wanting to appear to be sizing him up.

"Fucking  _excellent,"_ Negan said, gripping her arm tightly in his big hand when she got close enough. His grip was tight; too tight for comfort and she could only hope that he wasn't going to hurt her in any shape or form, but that didn't mean she was naive to think she wasn't in a shit load of trouble. "She may or may not return, I don't fucking know yet."

Riley shared an alarmed glance with Jackson who could only stand there; watching as Negan led a much shorter in all forms Riley away, snapping at one of the bystanders who was watching them with peaked interest. 

When they disappeared behind the set of doors, Jackson hurriedly jogged behind the counter, going into the kitchen where he threw open the doors; startling the employees who were packaging food away. 

Phoebe and their new recruit Starlett were carefully placing eggs into a huge cardboard box, talking silently when he entered. The sound of one of the doors rebounding on the wall scared them, sending him an alarmed look when they realized he looked slightly pale. 

"Go back to work," he said, addressing the rest of the crew while he made his way over to the girls, giving them a nervous smile. Phoebe was one of his closest friends, while Starr seemed to be a nice girl, though she could have a real temper, according to Riley. They watched him with trepidation when he approached, trying to help them place eggs into the box and appear calm to everyone else who went back to their job.

"What's wrong?" asked Phoebe, her voice low as Starlett seemed to be relatively at ease; unaware that he has taken an interest in getting to know Riley. It wasn't an romantic endeavor, but more along the lines of wanting to be friends. Though his appearance might say otherwise, he was pretty unprepared in the relationship department. 

"It's Riley.." he said, still keeping his voice low. Starr's head shot up, giving him a horrified expression, even though that could be anyone. There had to be more than one Riley, right?

Phoebe frowned, "What happened? Is she okay?"

Jackson shrugged, keeping an eye on the digital clock that was flashing  _7:43. Has it really been that long?_

"She forgot to return her weapons," he said, watching as Phoebe's eyes widened, while Starr only looked confused. "It's my fault, I should have told her."

"Don't blame yourself," Phoebe hissed, placing the last egg in the box. "It's only her first day, he can't punis-"

"You don't know that," Jackson said, unable to keep his voice from getting louder than the whispering he had been doing beforehand. "It's so fucking hard to tell when he's pissed or not at times, you know how Negan can be. It's my fault, I freaking bribed her with food."

For the first time since arriving, Starr spoke up, her voice trembling with fear, "What has he done with people who forget?"

"We have no idea, that's why I'm freaking out," Jackson said, remembering the look of regret and sheer panic that had crossed Riley's face when she had jumped up from her chair. "He could assume she was going to steal it? Maybe kill somebody? Who fucking knows."

"Riley wouldn't do that," Starr said, her heart speeding up. It was getting hot in here. "She wouldn't take that shit, especially not after what happened with Gus."

_Gus?_

Phoebe and Jackson shared a look; confused as to who she was talking about, but Starr had taken a seat on one of the counters, holding her head in her hand. They went to her aid, doing their best to calm their new friend down.

**___**

Negan had led her down the hall; his hand still holding her arm in an almost death grip. There was an almost unbearable silence between them, but as she was hellbent on keeping her gaze forward, she missed the constant glances Negan gave her; mostly looking at  _his_ weapons attached to her hip. 

Riley's heart rate had went back to normal somewhat, but the fear that she was in a shitload of trouble was still there. Of course it would be. Negan had been silent since the cafeteria, leading her away from Jackson and whatever witnesses had seen her almost be manhandled and taken by their leader.  _Talk about first impressions._

They approached a door that was an old, rusted red. Still, though, she did her best to remain calm and glanced up at him when he released her arm, leaning forward to swing open the door before grabbing her immediately after. Lucille dangled lazily at his side. 

They entered the same hallway Riley had gotten lost in earlier that morning. The huge, metal sliding doors almost taunting her as Negan pulled her along, the door behind them slamming with a loud  _bang!_

"You know where we are, kid?" he asked, speaking for the first time since the cafeteria. As strange as it sounds, his voice relaxed her a tiny bit.. He wasn't yelling at her _yet._

"No." she said, doing her best from letting the fear welling up inside of her spill out. Though she knew he could just feel it radiating off her. 

"No?" he asked, his loud voice echoing around the chilly, gray hallway. "Well, listen up because you're about to fucking be acquainted." 

He stopped in front of one of the big doors, releasing the grip he had on her arm, sliding open the door and revealing a long, but small in width holding cell. It was very dark, and he nudged her in, coming in after. Riley took a quiet, shaky breath, partially relieved that he had joined her instead of locking her in here.. Though, that could be her oncoming fate.

He outstretched his arms; Lucille pointing towards the ceiling as he grinned, seemingly pleased with the room. "Isn't this fucking cozy?" He asked, pointing to the bare, furniture-less  walls. "You'd get some decent shut-eye in here, but fuck, it's lonely as  _shit_."

Riley swallowed, nervously looking up at his towering frame. His eyes slid to her, still grinning when he straightened up, tapping Lucille once against the brick wall. "You like it?"

She had never been to jail, but based on what she saw in the movies, the cells were nothing like this unless you were in solitary confinement. This must  _be_  the SHU. Her eyes scanned the floor, observing every crack and chip in the concrete. Imagine sleeping on  _that_  every night.

"No, I don't." she said, not bothering to meet his eyes. 

"Why not?" he asked, his voice soft, but mocking. "Is it not cozy enough for you?"

Riley began to feel annoyed, also adding anger to to the list when he smirked. "No, it's not. This is a  _cell_."

"That's exactly fucking right!" Negan said, his voice angrier than before, "And people who don't follow the fucking rules got locked in here. That is if they don't get the fucking iron," He said, making sure to bring his hand up, letting a long, tan finger gently trace the outline of her equally as tan cheekbone. "If they really  _fuck_ up, their ass is dead."

Riley gently shoved his hand, making it fall back to his side. Negan wasn't fazed, only grinning wider before he moved in close; almost cornering her between himself and the wall. "I told you  _not to fucking get distracted_ ," he said, his voice low. "I thought I made that very fucking clear?"

She stayed quiet, once again feeling her heart speed up. Though it was a question of  _what_  was actually making that happen. 

"You did what you were supposed to," Negan said, still whispering, "Everything was mighty fucking dandy until you listened to your stomach instead of your fucking head. The pussies I had on duty with you chickened out in the rain, but you stayed-"

"It was barely drizzling," she said, knowing that he didn't like being interrupted but she couldn't help it. "I wasn't going to melt."

"Well, kid, that worked in your fucking favor." he said, finally backing up, giving her room to breathe. "Of course you're not entirely off the hook, but you're not fucking staying in this shit hole. Do it again, this cell has your name on it."

"How do you even know what I did?" she asked, referring to how he knew how her shift went.

"I have eyes everywhere, Riley. Also, Tyson came by and said you didn't return my shit. I had to hunt you down, which, believe it or not was pretty fucking easy."

_Of course._

Much to her relief, he let her exit the cell without saying anything. She waited as he walked out, turning to shut the door when a thought suddenly came to her.

"Is this where you're holding Avi?" she asked, turning to give him a hopeful glance. Negan straightened up, silent as he turned around, swinging Lucille up to rest against his shoulder. 

"Is that any of your fucking business?" 

Riley glared; all hope gone. "Yes, it is my fucking business. That's my brother."

Negan laughed, the sound loud and throaty. "Kid, don't even fucking start."

"Just let me see him," she said, her voice trembling. She knew he was here, and he was so damn close, but not close enough. "This is  _bullshit_."

"Hey!" Negan said, that very same anger from earlier coming back, and _hard._ "Now that's fucking enough. Suck it the fuck up, princess-"

Nearby, Avi Taylor sat on the floor, too nervous to speak up when he heard the voice of his baby sister. If it had been that dude with the burnt-ass face, it would be a different story. He wasn't afraid of Dwight, and he wouldn't exactly say he was afraid of Negan as much as he was afraid of what would happen if he shot up from the floor like he wanted to and yell and scream for attention. Negan continued to drone on, but there was something off about his tone of voice. He wasn't screaming at her, per se, but.. not as kindly as he'd like. 

 _"-Negan! Negan!"_  a different voice came from nowhere, one that Avi didn't recognize. It was a girl. "There's been a breach; south gate, one of the gates crumpled and walkers have breached-"

 _"Fuck!"_ The loud, angry voice of Negan echoed throughout the hallway, bouncing off the walls and straight into his eardrums. "Do they not know how a motherfucking walkie talkie works in this goddamn place?" he said, his voice growing smaller and smaller as the sound of rapid footsteps drew farther and farther away, once again leaving him in nothing but silence. 

_So close, yet so far.._

**___**

Riley followed Neganfrom the basement, resisting the urge to run past him and into the mess of walkers, but knew he wouldn't appreciate it, considering he was still currently pissed at her. He hadn't taken his weapons from her, so she was still able to fight right along side of him and whoever else would show up at the gates.

The woman who had informed them of the incident was someone she had never seen before. Riley was eager to make new friends, especially in this situation where she wanted that kind of connection in the shitty apocalyptic world they found themselves in. But there was something about this woman that didn't seem at all friendly. She was slower than the two, but the look Riley was given when she took off after Negan was sort of like the one you'd get if you kicked someone's puppy. 

It occurred to Riley that Negan was dressed as if he had been ready for bed, the only normal attire aside from Lucille was his leather jacket. It took her forever to notice, but he still gave off that intimidating, boss like persona he tried so hard to keep up with everyday. 

They were quickly approaching the site of mass hysteria, and she pushed all thoughts out of her mind, wanting to focus solely on what she had came to do. Kill walkers.

"What the hell happened?" Negan asked, rounding the corner of the factory where the south gate was located. The ground was mushy due to the rain, and mud was flying everywhere as people ran around, slashing the dead left and right. A walker had starting approaching from Riley's right, but Dwight had came up and stabbed it clear in the head with a large knife, giving her a small nod when it dropped dead. 

"The damn pole was weak!" Simon yelled, holding off two walkers at once while an unnamed Savior smacked one with a hammer, knocking it on it's ass. "The rain loosened and the whole fucking thing fell, George is dead, he was on watch when it fell!"

"Mother fucking Christ," Negan said, bringing Lucille up to smash the head of a walker that attempted to breeze right by him. "Get that shit fixed!" He yelled, directing his voice to the group of men attempting to reattach the pole to the gate while another group surrounded them, keeping the walkers at bay. "How did these assholes get loose?"

"We're not sure, sir," Simon said, seeing Riley slash a female walker from the corner of his eye. "We have another group getting the rest back on the poles!" 

Riley knocked the walker down, flipping the knife in her hand after yanking it out of the skull. A loud, pained scream came from her left, her eyes flashing to a man who was bitten in the neck from behind, another Savior coming to save him when it was too late.  _Two down._

Negan smashed another bastard in the head, smiling in satisfaction when it's head caved in with a  _crunch_ ,  falling to the ground in a limp state. Another walker approached him, it's arm sticking out in an attempt to grab onto his. Negan grinned, using Lucille to smash into it's leg, immediately breaking it with another  _crunch_. It crumpled, the leg dislocating from it's body when it fell to the ground. 

"Oh boy," Negan said, laughing when the walker still attempted to reach for him, lifting his boot to slam it down onto it's hand, breaking it. "Dirty fucking bastard."

When the last walker was killed, there was a silence that fell among the people. Riley stood back, her chest heaving and sweat just dripping from her body. Negan was walking around, trying to see if anyone knew how the walkers had 'slipped' off their poles and managed to slide into the Sanctuary. Luckily, the few that had wandered deep into camp were immediately killed, resulting in only three deaths, all of them being from the ones who were fighting. George, and two others that she now knew as Sean and Lisa.

"Get that shit fixed by tomorrow," Negan said, kicking at one of the dead that had yet to be moved. "It better be in fucking pristine condition when I wake up. Check all of them, too. Fix any little cut or gap you see. This _cannot. happen. again!"_

There was a chorus of 'yes sir's' that followed, Riley probably being the only one who remained quiet. She had specks of blood on her face and her clothes, but it was better than having a gaping whole in your neck, much like Sean as two men breezed past her, lifting him up to carry him away. 

"You-" Negan said, pointing a dripping, bloody Lucille in Riley's direction. "Hand them over." 

Riley's already there frown fell deeper, looking at the bloody knife in her hand. Negan watched her expectantly, holding his free arm out while the men continued to clean up, mostly ignoring them while the others were bluntly watching. The few females there were had left, running off God knows where. 

"But-"

"No buts," he said, taking a step closer, hand still outstretched in her direction. "Don't make me have to take it from you."

Defeated, she handed him the knife, her hand going to the unused gun in the holster, taking it out, also giving it to him. Negan took them without a word, looking her up and down with a look of distaste, before turning to address Dwight. "Dwight."

Without a word, he came over, his hands grabbing her waist as he started to remove the holsters from her jeans. Riley stared at Negan, her hands up as if she were surrendering. They continued to stare at each other, only breaking contact when Dwight moved away, holding both leather holsters in his hands. 

"Take these to Tyson." Negan said, handing the bloody knife and the gun to a silent Dwight. 

When Dwight left, Negan approached her, leaning his much taller frame down to look at her better. Riley stared up at him, not at all intimidated though she knew she probably should have been. "That cell? It still has your name on it, sweetheart. Don't fuck up again."

___

The news of the breach had spread like wildfire. Riley had jumped in the shower immediately after stalking away from Negan, ignoring the smug smile he was giving her as she walked away. Curfew was fast approaching, but it seemed most people didn't care for the rules at the moment. Girls were gathered in the locker room, talking about the gossip they had heard surrounding the gate being ruined in the weather. 

"-Nobody knows how it happened, they said there was an outsider who let all the biters in-."

"- And they got out alive? No way-"

"-It was probably that Dwight; he's all fucked up with Sherry becoming a wife-"

She had listened to the conversation's while taking a shower, and thankfully, there seemed to be no rumors about  _the new girl_ being the root cause of the incident. If this had been high school, that would more than likely be the case. Riley had came in with blood splatter, but they were so engaged in their own conversations that nobody had even noticed. That was good, though. Nobody would be bombarding her with questions any time soon. 

Riley wasn't surprised to see Blaine fast asleep in bed when she finally got back to her room. He was laying on his back, his arm that was now properly bandaged hanging off the side of the bed. She fixed the sheets, covering him up a little more before leaving him be. 

Riley sat on her bed, sniffling when she looked at the photo of her family and her best friend. She wasn't sure what made her think of it, but she suddenly remembered she was supposed to ask Negan about Bailey.  _Fuck._

Avi's smiling face teased her.  _Hey, where the hell are ya?_

It was then that she decided the only way to see him was to sneak out.

**___**

Riley laid in bed for what was probably only a few hours. It had gone completely silent, as if the whole world had decided to sleep at the same time. It was now or never. She crept out of bed, making sure that Blaine was still asleep before leaving. Carson must have given him pain meds, or something. He was knocked the hell out. 

The hallway was empty; Riley carefully peeking out her door to find it deserted. The only sounds being the light fixtures that were silently buzzing in the background. Perfect.

Her silent footfalls allowed her to make it down the hallway in record time. The door leading into the stairwell opened easily, a slight squeaking sound being the only evidence that it had been opened. Riley was slightly surprised to see that it wasn't locked. She made her way down the dark stairwell, the only source of light being from the windows that were placed on every landing. She tried to remember the exact way she had came down earlier that morning, though her getting lost and ending in the tombs wasn't on purpose. 

A voice from outside the door startled her. It was drawing closer, and from the insistent _beeps_ , she knew whoever it was was reporting into a walkie. The only hiding spot was under the stairs. Riley scrambled when she reached the basement, going for cover under the staircase, putting her hand over her mouth to shield her ragged, anxious breathing.

"All clear." the voice said, swinging open the door, letting it shut with a loud bang. "Tell boss I'm going to bed, clear." he said, starting up the steps. Riley relaxed, listening to the sounds of whoever it was continue getting farther and farther away. 

To be safe, she waited for a few minutes before making a beeline to the door, opening it without bothering to be discreet about it. This was a bland, lifeless hallway that had a single door on the left wall and another at the very end.  _The end._

Riley ran, shoving open the door to reveal the same hall she had encountered this morning, and the same one that led straight into the tombs. It was absolutely dark; enough that if someone was keeping watch, it seemed a little stupid to just sit around all night and wait in the pitch black. Her socked feet led her to the same door she had inspected earlier, only this time, it was wide open. 

"A-Avi?" she asked, her voice soft, yet still echoing throughout the room. "Are you down here?"

Silence.

"Avi?" She asked, her voice louder as she moved to the next door, also finding that one empty as well.  _Shit._

"Avi, come on!" she said, approaching the same cell that Negan had shown her just hours before. Nothing. 

There was a scuffle, and suddenly a loud, pounding startled her, the door beside her moving slightly with the knocking. "Riley? What are you doing!?"

"Avi!" she said, attempting the handle only to find that it was locked. "I came to see you!"

Avi took a deep breath, holding both hands against the door. His sister was here; his family was here, but without permission. "You'll get into trouble." he said, his voice becoming mellow. 

"I don't care, he's not letting me see you," she said from the other side, her voice slightly muffled from the thickness of the metal separating them. "I-I had to know you were okay.. I-I'll find something to break this lock-"

"No!" Avi said, making her jump from the other side though he couldn't see it. "No, they'll just find it in the morning and they'll know it's you.  _He'll_ know it's you, and then you'll be locked down here just like me."

".. I'm not scared of him." she whispered, leaning in closer to the door. "Negan doesn't scare me."

Avi swallowed, taking a long, deep breath. "He.. He can't hurt you, Riley," he said, feeling tears prick his eyes.  _Coward._ "Please, j-just listen to him, don't do anything stupid and get yourself locked in here. It's not a life, Riley. Go out there, fight, and survive. He can't hurt you,  _don't_ let him hurt you."

"Avriel Taylor!" Riley said, finally losing her cool. Tears pricked her eyes, sniffling while she pressed her forehead into the cold metal. "You'll get out soon, he can't keep you in here forever."

"You don't know that, Riley," he said, his voice lowering to a whisper. So quiet, Riley could barely hear him. "Just don't do anything stupid.  _Promise_  me you won't do anything stupid."

Riley took a deep breath, letting her eyes flutter shut. It was silent between them. How could she promise him something so.. it sounded stupid. She already  _did_ something stupid by forgetting to bring back the weapons Negan had offered her. 

"Riley?"

Riley nodded, snapping out of her thoughts. "O-okay, Avi.. I promise."

Avi nodded, though it wasn't seeable by Riley. ".. I miss you, pumpkin."

At that moment, she began to cry. Sobs wrecked her body, her nails attempting to dig into the door only for them to slide together instead. Her nails bit into her palm, bringing a pain that she didn't particularly enjoy.. Not this time. "I miss you too, Avi."

"Open the slot."

Riley frowned, looking at the door in confusion. "Huh?" 

"The slot, right above the handle. Slide it open."

Riley glanced down at the handle, looking at a square that she hadn't noticed until just now. There was a little something that you hooked your fingers in to open it. She did that, using her dominant hand to easily fit two of her fingers inside of it, sliding it open with ease. 

Avi's hand reached out, pale and as manly as she remembered it. She instantly caught it, holding his hand in hers while tears started streaming down both of their faces. His hand was cold; cold enough that if she didn't know any better, she'd think she was holding the hand of a corpse. The only time she had ever held a dead persons hand was when her grandmother died a while before the world had ended.. Not even her parents. 

"You should go," he said, his voice low and broken. "They do rounds, if you're caught you're in deep trouble."

"I'm not leaving you-"

"Riley. _Go._ I'm always with you, remember?"   

Her lips trembled, holding his hand impossibly tighter.  _No, no, stay._

She nodded again, giving his hand one last squeeze. "Okay.."

**___**

_That girl's going to give me a fucking heart attack._

Negan set a freshly cleaned Lucille down on her post, finally shrugging out of his jacket to settle in for the night. It took him longer than he wanted to get back into his room; having to run around like a chicken with his head cut off making sure all of the dead walkers were disposed of properly. He had checked with Tyson, making sure that damn Dwight did what he was supposed to and returned the weapons he had given Riley.

_That fucking girl, she's going to be the fucking death of me. Her cute ass smile and those damn eyes. Fucking shit up. Fuck!_

Negan hung his jacket up nicely, sighing when he noticed the little drops of blood that had graced the clean leather.  _Goddamn it._

Down at the gate, he had watched as Riley went around, slashing walkers left and right like it was nothing. Her pretty face scrunched up in concentration; giving the walkers no mercy, no thought as they had once been someone's mother, or father, or sibling. Zero tolerance for walkers.  If they had been on a run, that fight of hers alone would have won him over stat. Riley was a fighter, a great fighter, and she was almost unstoppable just taking down a few walkers that had escaped through the fence. 

_But runs are different; you still gotta test that shit out._

Negan sighed, sitting down on his side of the bed, running a hand over his face. He had never been at such a loss. Even Simon had said something after the beauty had stalked away, sulking at something Negan had no idea what it could possibly be. He had asked if she was one of  _them,_  and the only answer that he could come up with was,  _I'm not sure yet._ It shouldn't be that a hard; a simple yes or no. So what is it that was holding him back?

_You don't want her going out there. Face it, you like the kid._

_Of course you fucking like her. She's hot as hell._

Negan groaned, laying on his back.  _Fucking shit fuck._

Tomorrow.. He'd take her out tomorrow.


	8. 7.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Walking Dead Day!!

**BLAINE SMITH WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING COMPLETELY SORE.. AND ALONE.**

The light streaming in the room indicated that it was well into late morning, possibly even being in the afternoon hours. Whatever the doctor, Carson, had given him, really knocked him out and he had slept like a baby the entire night. Everything seemed normal at first, until he remembered that the group was split and they were no longer in the cabin. They were at the Sanctuary, with that bastard that killed Gus and stole his dog, Bailey. 

Blaine sat up, wincing slightly at the ache in his sides. Carson had cleared him of anything broken, thankfully, but he was bruised and he would be hurting for a few days. The room was quiet; too quiet, and he knew that even if Riley was sleeping on the other side of the wall, he'd be able to hear her light breathing. 

He threw the covers off of him, swinging his legs over the mattress, preparing himself to stand up.  _One.. Two.. Three._

With a wince, he stood up, the pain in his torso sharp and relentless. His feet felt numb, so he wiggled his toes in an attempt to gain some feeling down there. When he was alright, he walked to the bathroom; desperately having to pee from all of the water Carson had given him to keep the drugs from dehydrating his body. 

When he walked out of the bathroom, he went right over to his bed, sitting down on the edge, this time wincing only a little. It had been a while since he had eaten anything, but at this point he could barely stomach even the thought of food. Instead, he reached for the half full pitcher of water, pausing when he noticed a neatly folded note placed beside it. 

It had to be from Riley, so he wasted no time in reaching forward, snagging it from it's resting place. He unfolded it, the only sounds being the slight crinkling of the paper while he did so. He had only seen Riley's handwriting a number of times, but it was so distinguishable that anyone who had seen it once would forever remember who it belonged to. 

_Blaine-_

_I went out on a run with Negan and a small group. This is my chance to prove to him I'm able to be of help outside of the Sanctuary. One of the gates was knocked down last night and walkers got in, three people died but I was helping out and I ended up okay.. I forgot to mention to Negan about Bailey, so I'm going to do that today, I promise. Negan said we'd only be gone for a little while, but just in case, if you need anything and I'm not back, you_ _have_ _to go down to the cafeteria and ask for Donovan. Tell him you're my friend and you need to see Starr. She's been worried about you.. You can't tell anybody this, but I snuck down to the tombs and I saw Avi. He's okay for the most part, but he's alive and hopefully will be let out soon.. Please don't strain yourself too much._

_Riley_

Blaine read the note over three times, each time being slower than the first. He took in every word, feeling a pang in his chest at the sight of his girlfriend's name and one of his closest friends in this new world. Avi. 

As much as he wanted to run down to the cafeteria and find whoever this  _Donovan_ kid was, his body was so sore that he needed to lay down. 

_Think of it as a small vacation.. Just a slightly painful one._

_____

"Where did you get that?"

Negan smirked, looking at the map with many scribbles of x's, circles, and different routes highlighted throughout it. His men had searched through all of the things recovered in that fucking cabin and came across a very detailed map of places that weren't safe, possible safe havens, and stores and shops where supplies could continue being scavenged. What was  _really_ interesting, though, was the words scribbled in an almost unreadable scrawl;  _Guns._

"You guys had some really good shit laying around in that house," he said, shooting her a grin as he straightened up, handing the map back to Simon who had helped the small group clear the path of walkers that momentarily held up their little adventure. "Who was the jackass that wrote  _that_  on a map? I guess whoever it was  _wanted_ someone else to find it."

Riley sighed, immediately recognizing the handwriting as Gus'. That was what he must have been doing the night he died. "Is that where we're going?" she asked, her hands absentmindedly dropping down to her hips that were bare from weapons of any kind. At least until they reached their destination. 

"You betcha," Negan said, tilting his head at her when Simon made the call, instructing everyone to get back in the cars to keep moving forward. "We need all the guns and ammo we can find.. Too bad your group didn't get there first." he said, knowingly pushing her buttons. Anything to try and make her angry;  _anything to give him a break from the constant thoughts of her._

Riley glared, holding back the string of curse words she wanted to throw at him. Instead she turned around, stalking away from him and back to the car that her, Negan, Simon, and an unnamed Savior she had seen the night of the ambush. He always looked angry, the facade only breaking when he was slashing walkers, his face becoming impassive. He irked her. 

Negan shook his head, smirking as he slid into the passengers seat, his grin becoming bigger when the feisty ball of fire hopped into the backseat, mumbling something under her breath that he couldn't quite catch. "What was that, sweetheart?"

"Nothing." Riley snapped, turning her attention out the window, just wanting to move on and be able to occupy her mind with something other than Negan and how he always knew what to say to piss somebody off. 

"That's what I thought." he replied, rolling down the window as they started off, heading in the direction of that dumb fuckers house.

___

  Blaine had managed to sleep probably another half an hour before he became restless. He sat up, fighting the ache in his muscles as he stood up from the bed, looking down at his dirty clothing. The only clean thing he possessed anymore was the boxers those assholes had thrown at him, taking the rest of his belongings that he had scavenged over time, even taking some of the things from his old life. 

He was about ready to change into said boxers when there was a terse knock at the door. Blaine paused, knowing that if it had been Riley, she'd be able to come right in. Maybe someone needed something?

_Something you can't give them._

He swallowed, limping over to the door where he cautiously opened it, peeking around it to find the woman he remembered Negan asking to give Starlett a tour of their new home. She was holding a bag in her hand, giving him a small, tense smile.

"Hello.. Blaine, right?"

He blinked, nodding stupidly as he tried in vain to remember her name. She seemed really nice, and since she easily remembered his name while he was struggling to remember even the first letter of hers, it made him feel bad. 

"I'm Sherry.. I helped your girlfriend a few days ago."

It suddenly clicked, "Right, right.. I'm sorry, I was trying to remember your name."

Sherry smiled softly, asking if she was allowed to come in. He nodded, moving out of the way to let her pass. She came in, seemingly observing Riley's clean but deserted side of the room. She turned to face him, her eyebrow raising in question, "Is she on duty?"

"Uhm.. She left me a note, she said Negan took her on a run with a group. I guess?"

Sherry nodded, a look crossing her eyes that confused him. She shook it off, clearing her throat while gently setting the bag on his bed. "I brought you some clothes.. I'm not supposed to, but I promised your girlfriend. And quite honestly, I don't know her that well but I have a soft spot for Riley. She seems like a great girl."

Blaine nodded, allowing a slight smile to come to his lips. "Yeah, she's really sweet."

Sherry nodded, pulling out a neatly folded pile of clothing. "Here's two sets of clothes to start you off. This third pile is pajamas, you're going to want to change out of those jeans at night. I brought you some boxers, too. Are you good on socks?"

Blaine frowned, looking down at his bare feet. ".. They took my socks," he said, the thought suddenly occurring to him. He hadn't even thought of socks. "I forgot about them."

"I'll get you a pack of them," she said, setting the pajamas down next to the two sets of clothes. "Here's some toiletries, just enough to get you by for now. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and some dental hygiene items too." she said, holding up the bag that was now lumpy with bottles of things. "Don't tell anyone else, I didn't get special orders from Negan to help you out."

Blaine nodded, wincing a little as he adjusted his posture. Sherry noticed, frowning at the handsome boy, "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," he said, nodding, "Just a little sore."

"I'll leave you alone then.." she said, setting the bag on top of the clothes. 

As she was about to leave, he blurted out something that had been whirling around in his head often since meeting her for the first time. "Why do you let Negan boss you around?" 

Sherry paused, the door halfway open. It was silent between them, and she didn't turn or even look at him. Blaine swallowed, wanting to smack himself for asking so bluntly. 

Sherry shut the door, turning to look at him. Her face wasn't angry; more impassive than it had been just moments before. She sighed, looking at him, "I.. I made some decisions. Bad decisions, with my hus-  _ex_ husband a while ago. I made bad decisions, and.." she trailed off, biting her thin bottom lip as she slid her eyes off of him, staring off into space. "Now I'm paying for it. I messed up, so now I have to fix it."

Blaine nodded, feeling guilty for dragging it out of her, but thankful that she didn't seem angry at him for asking what was considered a personal question. He wanted to apologize, but would it actually be genuine? After all, she  _was_  bringing him things to help him get on his feet, but she had just said she did bad things and now she had to pay the price. Her and whoever her ex husband was. 

"I'm doing what I have to do," she said, finally looking him in the eye again. "And if I have to be at his beck and call for every little thing, then so be it."

Blaine nodded, feeling the anxiety radiating off of her getting worse. "I understand."

Sherry nodded, turning back around to head for the door. Once again, she opened it halfway, before pausing. She turned her head, watching him closely and for a moment he thought she wasn't going to say anything; just a last glance before leaving. Instead she spoke, her face unreadable. "Negan has taken in interest in her.. She needs to be careful."

_She?.. Is she.. Is she talking about-_

"Wait!" Blaine said, grunting in pain when he rushed forward, grabbing the door before she could close it and leave. Sherry didn't resist, only looking at him with what was now a sympathetic expression. "You're talking about.."

"Yeah, her. I'm talking about Riley."

Blaine frowned, "I don't understand.."

"She refused becoming a wife," Sherry explained, watching as Blaine continued frowning. "She refused becoming a wife, and that just fueled the fire right there.. Riley's tough, she didn't take the easy way out, instead volunteering to be a Savior. I know Negan, that's like a virgin going to a strip club the first time."

If his friend hadn't been in question, Blaine may have laughed at the intentional jab. "You said she's really sweet, right?"

"Yeah-yeah, of course she is.."

"Exactly. Negan won't leave his wives for her.. Don't let her get hurt."

And with that, Sherry left. 

___

If there was any doubt about being able to find Gus' house, all of it was wiped away when they turned on Stewart Road.It was a straight line all the way down, and they ended up sitting in the driveway of a house that looked like it had seen better days. It was worn down and weathered after being left behind for two years, but she knew it would have been a beautiful house when it was being used and taken care of. 

".. Is this what Simon did with Blaine?" Riley asked as Simon and the other man hopped out, leaving her alone with Negan. She heard him sigh, adjusting himself in the seat while he placed his hand just below the door handle, prepared to jump out if needed. 

"I couldn't tell you, kid. I wasn't there."

Riley scowled, "But this would be a general idea though?"

Negan shrugged, "Guess you could say that."

Growing impatient, she leaned her forehead against the window, seeing the men scatter. As much as she wanted to get out of the car and go see what Gus really had in his basement, the looming fear of messing something up continually came back to haunt her. With all due respect, she didn't want to be stuck in the kitchen for the rest of her life.. Though she absolutely loved cooking. 

Simon finally came back, waving for Negan to come out. He looked excited, his mustache actually twitching with his huge grin. 

"Come on," Negan said, swinging the door open. "I wanna see what that sorry shit has for me!"

Riley rolled her eyes, hopping out onto the dirt road beneath them. A gust of wind went right through the trio, actually making Simon shiver while Negan didn't seem affected at all by it. Riley had thrown on her hoodie last minute, figuring that even if he had given her a weapon, she'd be hanging onto it rather than clipping it to her waist. 

Negan turned to her, waving off Simon who gave her a weary look before making his way to the house. Negan had instructed them specifically this morning that they were not to go inside until he said, wanting any possible walkers to be victim to Riley. He knew she could fight, but he wanted to see it out in the open. 

"I'm giving you this," Negan said, smirking at her as he lifted his leather jacket slightly, revealing a holster a good five or so inches longer than the one she had carried around the day before. "No funny business, I'll be getting it from you the moment we're back in the car. Understand, sweetheart?"

Riley nodded, briefly taking her eyes off the concealed weapon to look him in the eyes. 

Negan grinned, "What was that, Riley? I don't believe I heard you."

She glared, "Yes, Negan. I understand."

He grinned, using his free hand to unsheathe the knife. For a moment, she could admit that the sight of a jagged, curved green handled machete freaked her out. The thought of the damage that could be done with just that knife was enough to want to make her demand for the normal hunting knife she had used yesterday. It was like looking at a Rambo wannabe. 

Negan held it out to her without a word; the knife hanging with the blade pointed to the ground. She swallowed, looking up at him while he only stared at her, waiting for her to take it. When she did, he grinned that cheshire smile of his before turning around, swinging Lucille up to rest on her place on his shoulder. 

___

Meanwhile,Jackson Walsh anxiously stood next to Phoebe, shucking corn for tonight's dinner. The power duo had expanded to a trio, as their new employee, Starr, had officially become their friend and they were very pleased with her work ethic. 

The trio was buzzing, as Riley had paid them a visit at breakfast, this time getting there on time to enjoy everything they had to offer. They were relieved to see her; as Negan's punishment for her forgetfulness had weighed on them all night, worried that she'd be the next victim getting the iron. Much to their displeasure, Jackson and Phoebe had to sit down Starlett and explain one of Negan's most effective ways of punishing one who broke the rules. 

The whole compound was still worried about the gate ordeal; as one of their outposts a good hour or so away had informed them there was another round of rain about to hit their post and they should be prepared. Jackson had just finished closing down the kitchen when he heard the news, but failed to witness any of it. Riley explained that she had helped kill some walkers, but there was something, he knew, that she wasn't telling them. Negan seemed to have appreciated the help, and somewhat let her off the hook. Hearing that today was her test day, they gave her a little more food than what they were supposed to portion out and wished her good luck. 

"How long do you think they'll be?" Phoebe asked, throwing the husk she had just ripped off into the nearby trashcan. Since Riley had left, Starr had moved to dish duty, not wishing to speak to anyone. Jackson felt bad, he knew they were close and how worried she must have been. 

"I'm not sure," Jackson whispered, his eyes darting to the window on the door that allowed them to see who entered and exited the cafeteria. Riley had whispered to him that Starr's boyfriend, Blaine, may be making an appearance and he should look out for the black, bushy hair. "She didn't even know where they were going, said nobody was supposed to tell her anything." 

"I hope they don't get caught in the rain," Phoebe said, grabbing the last piece of corn. "If we have another incident like last night, we're going to be in trouble. I saw them leave, they took most of the good fighters with them."

"We'll be fine," he said, grabbing the huge bin when she tossed the freshly husked corn into it. "He has extra patrol today.. There's nothing to worry about."

_Come down, Blaine. I don't know what to do about Starr._

**___**

"We're in, boss."

"Fucking excellent!" Negan said, elated when they swung open the front door; having to break off the handle as it had somehow completely rusted over and refused to budge. "You know the rules, boys. We're looking for the guns and ammo, but take whatever the fuck you please."

Upon stepping in, Riley could tell that even though it was well hidden, it had once been a beautiful house on the inside. The television, Gus had re-imagined to her one day, had been knocked off the wall when an explosion had went off nearby the day he fled his home. There was a crazy old man who lived down the road who had once worked for the military and knew how to make homemade bombs, and decided to end his life by blowing himself up once the world went to complete and utter shit. It was still laying there; screen shattered and a long white mark smeared across the black lining when it had made impact with the floor. 

Though it was cool outside, the house was burning up. Riley carefully stepped over the mess, feeling Negan's presence behind her. She wasn't exactly clear on what he was evaluating her on, considering as far as she knew, Gus had lived alone and if someone had died in here, what would be the cause?

Riley was slowly learning the names of all of the men who had accompanied them. There was Simon, of course, and Dwight, the guy she had encountered when she accidentally found herself in the tombs and when he had brought Blaine up to her room. He had given her a small nod when they saw each other this morning, not bothering to say anything and in a way that was okay with her. He seemed very fond of the crossbow he always carried, but she had yet to see him use it.

One of the other guys, Robert, yelled out in excitement, startling the calm atmosphere. He came running out of the next room, holding a key that was placed in a small plastic bag. "Boss, we need to see what this key is for."

Negan dropped the pillow he was holding, making Riley give him an odd look at his priorities. The thought of invading Gus' house when he was no longer around didn't sit right with her, but she needed this. Riley wanted to be taken seriously. 

"Hang onto it," Negan said, twirling Lucille around, as if he was actually trying to intimidate Robert to keep a close eye on it and not lose it. "If that shit is in a safe, we need it."

To the left of the living room was a white door. Riley tried to remember if he said anything about what it had been on that talk just weeks ago, but she was coming up with nothing. Everyone had scattered into the dining room and kitchen, exploring the rest of the house while ignoring what could possibly be behind door number four. 

She tried to open the door, only to find that it was locked. The only reason they were able to get in the house in the first place was because of the huge, muscled man who had acquainted himself with a rifle used the handle of it to bend the knob, dislocating it completely after a few slams and Simon using a little pick to unlock it. If Riley attempted to use the handle of her weapon, she'd be left with no hands.

Riley glanced around, noting that she was completely alone.  _Seriously? Isn't he supposed to watch me or something?_ With a sigh, she turned around, taking in her surroundings to see what she could use to break in. Riley knew she could easily ask, but she needed to do this on her own. Even if Negan, or anyone else wasn't there to see it, at least it would be for herself. 

The living room gave nothing to assist her, so she moved into the kitchen that was also empty. The other door was wide open, and she could hear the excited whoops of the men downstairs who must have found the stash of weapons.  _This is such a bust._

A thought occurred to her that Gus seemed like the type who not only enjoyed collecting guns, but could have also did the same for tools.

_Yes.. That's it!_

As she began to search in the cabinets under the sink, she thought of one of her favorite movies growing up,  _Home Alone._ Harry and Marv used crowbars (or at least attempted to) in order to break into houses. So if she would be able to find one, she could get the door open and see what else could be useful back home.

_Home.. Since when is it home?_

All of the cabinets and drawers were searched to no avail. It didn't sound like the guys were coming up anytime soon, and she was for sure not about to give up now. Riley sat at the dining room table, cursing. Where else could one be?

From the corner of her eye, she saw something move. Her head whipped around, looking out into the woods from the sliding glass doors that were placed right beside the table. A family of squirrels had jumped onto the porch, running across the deck before jumping back onto the grass below. There was a large blanket of leaves and dirty, disgusting items that were left behind or maybe even blown here over time. There was a lump within the leaves; the top shiny and red.

___

_You can_ _do this, come on._

Blaine paused halfway down the steps, mentally screaming at the pain in his side. Who would've thought simple bruises that didn't lead to anything broken could be so painful. It was nearing lunch time, and he was finally starting to feel hungry, and Riley's note had continually played around in his head,  _you have to go down to the cafeteria and ask for Donovan._

He hoped whoever this Donovan was wouldn't be too difficult to find. The last thing he wanted was to have to hunt the guy down in order to find his girlfriend. It had been days since they had last seen each other, and if he went any longer he may as well go crazy. 

Blaine continued pushing himself, not too happy of the fact that he'd have to do this all over again every time he went to the cafeteria, at least until the bruises finally healed. 

When he finally reached the doors, he swung them open, revealing the crowd finishing their lunches. The line was long, and the people serving food were working as fast as they could to get the line moving and have the people go back to their jobs. He was disappointed to find the only girl working out front was a chubby redhead who didn't look too happy to be serving.

From his right, a door swung open, startling him. Blaine had always been able to admit that some men were attractive, and the one currently staring him up and down most definitely was. It seemed almost impossible for someone to appear so model-like in the apocalypse, but he could digress. He could definitely see Riley hanging around this guy.

"I'm guessing you're Blaine?" asked the mystery guy, raising his eyebrows as he eyed the bandage wrapped around the cut Carson had cleaned for him. Blaine peeked down at it, wondering what was going through his head. "Yeah, that's me.. You're Donovan, I'm guessing?"

Donovan nodded, peeking back at the window that was in the door. Blaine attempted to look past him and see for himself, but he was in the way and all he could see from where he was standing was a huge refrigerator. He scoffed.

"Listen," Donovan said, coming in closer as to lower his voice to a whisper. "I can't let you in there, but get in line and get something to eat.. I'll send her out when you get it, but you can't make a scene. I know it's difficult but you have to be civil. I'll tell her to do the same. Got it?"

Blaine nodded quickly, wondering if he had actually meant what he said about understanding what it was like. He couldn't be a dick, though. This kid was helping Riley, and also him, the least he could do was cut Donovan a bit of slack. The last time he had seen Negan, he never clarified if it was okay for them to be reunited. Besides Riley actually sneaking out to see Avi, he wasn't allowing her to see her own flesh and blood, therefore it made sense if Negan was being a dick by not allowing Blaine and Starr to do the same.

"Okay.. I'll send her out in a few minutes. Go."

___

Standingin front of the door, Riley held a crowbar in her hand. Who would have known that someone had left a tool box out on the front porch the past few years, getting all of the tools rusty but some were somewhat usable. Go figure.

_This can't be that hard, right?_

As she sucked in a breath, she waited a brief second before slamming the end of the crowbar right into the side where the lock was. It made a creaking noise; as part of the wood chipped and fell to the ground, though it wasn't enough to open the door. She brought it back, sucking in another breath before hitting it in the same spot, pushing the end down as hard as she could, watching as more wood cracked and fell at her feet. 

"God damn it," she muttered, pulling back once it failed to give out again. Riley evaluated what damage was done, and it would probably take a few more times before it even began to give in and open. She took a few steps back, glaring at the door before raising her booted foot quickly, using all of her might to slam it into the door.

It swung open, startling her as she didn't think she'd actually be able to kick it open like in those cheesy action movies. The room was dark, as the windows had been boarded up from the outside, though the windows were still fully intact. The weather outside was rather cool, but the humidity inside this room was off the wall it seemed. 

"Well, well, well," Negan's booming voice came from behind her, making her jump a good three feet in the air. "What do we have here?"

Riley swallowed, looking down at the crowbar still held firmly in her grasp.  _You've gotta be kidding me._

"Now I know perfectly well that that wasn't meant for me, sweetheart. You pick that out cause it looks cool?"

"I needed to get the door open," Riley said, her tone flat. "It was locked, there could be.."

"We've already got the guns, kid," Negan replied just as the men started coming out, holding rifles, handguns, and to her surprise, one semi-automatic. Simon was the last to make an appearance; holding two large bags that was filled with ammo, knives or guns. Or all three. "We're done."

Riley threw her arms up, completely perplexed, ".. That's  _it?_ You didn't even watch me do any-"

"Well, a door that was once locked when we arrived is now open. Very impressive kick, that was quite a sight." he said, twirling Lucille as he started walking towards her. Riley swallowed, moving aside as he smirked at her, walking into the still dark room. She cursed, going in after him.

Whatever sunlight that was outside leaked through the few sections of the window the wood didn't cover. It was just enough to help them see, but upon the realization that this was once Gus' bedroom, Riley felt as if dread was being sprinkled over her head, even if he almost got her family killed. 

"Oh my," Negan said, dragging out the syllables longer than necessary. "It looked like your boy had a hot fucking wife!"

Though it was probably exaggerated, Riley felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. Negan was standing beside Gus' bed, looking down at the only dusty photo left on his nightstand. He tapped Lucille against his leg, turning to look at her with a sickly sweet grin before straightening up, heading for the closet on the other side of the room. Riley slowly approached the photo, not having any idea that he was married, let alone even had a  _girlfriend._ Gus hadn't mentioned it at all, and the thought of him keeping it inside all this time and not once mentioning it made her feel sad. 

Much to his word, it was a wedding photo with a pretty redhead that resembled a young Judy Garland. It was more than likely one of those 'after' photos, probably at the reception, and the pure happiness on both of their faces was undeniably cute. Augustus looked younger in the photo, and since there wasn't a printed date on the corner, it could have been ten years ago, or even right before the apocalypse. He had always joked that he was younger than he looked, and the end of the world had just aged him greatly. To her knowledge, he never revealed his real age, only mentioning that his mom had died in his early twenties.  _He was closed off more than you thought._

"What a shame," Negan said, kicking the closet door that Riley guessed was probably locked too. "For such a hot piece of ass, she must have died pretty fucking early!"

Riley turned, glaring at him. "That's not funny. You have so many wives you wouldn't even notice if one goes missing. Don't be an ass."

Negan rolled his eyes, bringing his bat up to rest on his shoulder as he started heading for the door. "There's nothing in here, time to get our asses moving. There's one more place I want to go bef-"

_thud. thud._

Negan paused, swiveling around to look at the still closed closet door. Riley glanced at him wearily, but decided that she'd go and check it out since she was now closer to it than he was. She approached it slowly, hearing another noise from behind it. Part of her knew what it was, but she didn't want it to be true.

Riley assumed that Negan would have peeked inside to check it out, but she decided to check on her own anyway. Much to her surprise, the knob twisted, indicating that it wasn't locked like she had originally assumed. Negan was silent behind her; enough that she couldn't hear him breathing and for all she knew he could have left her alone. 

Riley looked down at the crowbar still in her hand, before closing her eyes for a few moments to gather himself.  _Three.. Two.._   _ **One.**_

She swung open the door, coming face to face with a walker. It came at her; arms spread out and fingers attempting to hook in her hair as it had a good five or so inches on her. It growled faintly; it's mouth wide open and blood poured out of it's mouth. It was weak, but not enough that it was completely helpless. 

Riley brought the crowbar up, using all of her might to plunge it into it's skull. It worked effortlessly, the walker going limp and falling into her, making her grunt and a small scream coming from her as she was knocked backwards, the walker falling to her side. Riley scooted back a few inches, panting as the now completely dead person was immobile; no longer suffering. 

The red hair was unmistakable, though the face would definitely make a family member give it a second glance. What Riley saw were once blue eyes were now a misty gray, and the soft, pale skin was sunken and peeling off her face. Gus' wife laid there, no longer the person she was, instead locked away to rot completely without being put out of her misery. 

Riley shakily stood up, looking at Negan, and now Simon, who was watching her in disbelief, and probably shock on Negan's part. His eyes darted from the dead woman to Riley; his brown eyes slightly sympathetic, but only a little. Riley looked down at her blood stained jacket, slowly opening her palm where the sticky, bloody crowbar slowly pulled away from her hand, clattering to the floor below.

"You're right," she said, looking at a still bewildered Negan and Simon, who must have arrived just in time to see her kill the closet walker. "She didn't live that long."

And with that, Riley left, wanting to go home and forget the image of Gus' animated wife who was once so beautiful.

___

"Do you really think Avi is going to switch positions to be with her?"

Blaine looked over at Starr, addressing her face. They had eaten lunch together, and Donovan had allowed them to step out into the hallway for a few minutes and sit on the bench. Starr was officially off for the rest of the day and she was exhausted, but at the moment she didn't care, only relishing in the feel of his hand in hers and how much she had missed feeling him. She was conflicted, but he could see the gears turning in her head. 

"I feel like he would, but she wouldn't like that very much."

Starlett nodded, looking down at her lap. They didn't have a time limit, but the thought of Negan coming back early and seeing her out of work made her nervous. The kitchen basically had nine to five shifts for every employee, and that morning Starr had to come in at four in the morning to help prepare for breakfast. Phoebe had explained that newbies were required to test out all the shifts; basically to see which one they preferred, and it helped Donovan in deciding where said person performs their best in. Luckily, most of the older workers enjoyed coming in early, as it was what they were used to in their normal lives, but it was still mandatory to try. She wasn't sure if Negan was aware of that, and the last thing she wanted was to be yelled at by him.

".. Those guys beat you," Starlett said, somewhat changing the subject back to him. "You shouldn't go back, they could do it again."

Blaine sighed, already knowing that would have been brought up sooner or later. "They're just punks.. I'm the new guy, it's probably just something they do to all the new guys. I'll be fine, they won't touch me if Dwight or Simon is around."

Starr knew Simon by name, but her memory of Dwight was a little hazy. She was sure he was the guy who Phoebe had told her got an iron to the face, but she had met so many new people it was hard to keep names where they belonged. The iron seemed like a common punishment here, based on word of mouth, so he wasn't the only person she's seen with a partially burnt face, though it wasn't something she saw everyday. "And what about Negan? If he tells them to beat the shit out of you, do you think they won't?"

Blaine frowned, "Why would he do that?"

"I-I don't know, I mean for all he knows, we could be playing stupid. None of us knew about Augustus, but there's no way he can be entirely sure we don't. You're already limping and you have bruises everywhere, the next time can be worse."

"There isn't going to be a next time. It won't happen again, okay? I.. I need to do this. This is a way I can help keep an eye on her, so you're safe in here and when Avi gets out, he doesn't have to change his mind just to protect her-"

"I know you love her, because I do too," Starr said, leaning her face in closer to his, "But you can't tell me she's the only reason you decided to do this.. You don't want to get weak, I get it. I'm not as strong as you guys are, but I need a break. I love my job, and I'm making friends because of it. You're going to be risking your life pretty much every day, and I'm just worried."

"I know Starlett, I know. I just need you to trust me, okay?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "Okay.. I trust you."

Blaine nodded, knowing that it was only partially sincere, but he was too tired to argue about it any longer. It was almost time for him to take his medicine, and he was looking forward to the long sleep it was going to put him in after. "I gotta go back up to my room.."

Starr nodded, standing up, holding her hand out to him. "Come on, I'll take you."

___

The car ride was painfully silent after leaving Gus' house. 

Riley was feeling like absolute shit for even going into the house, knowing that it was only meant for her original group to find, not Negan's. She was so focused on getting his approval to be a Savior that she didn't acknowledge that it was wrong to go through with it, and it felt like betraying her family. Negan and the rest were oblivious to this, and it didn't bother her one bit. She would rather be ignored than be forced to endure fake, persistent men who would only pretend to give a shit in hopes of getting laid or just shutting her up. 

They seemed very happy with their findings, Negan especially, who wouldn't stop grinning at the sight of everything being loaded into one of the trucks. The armory at the Sanctuary was already huge enough, this stuff would probably only become lost in all of the weapons and things already there. On top of that, she was fuming over being gypped. It was like all he was doing was playing games with her, and it was very much unappreciated. But, in typical Riley fashion, she concealed the anger and didn't bother opening her mouth, which she knew would be a bad idea as she had a lot of opinions about Negan right now what he wouldn't be too keen on hearing. 

_"Base one calling. I repeat, base one calling, over."_

This time, it was only Riley, Simon, and Negan in the car. Negan had instructed angry face to ride with Dwight and the others, not explaining why. It left her alone in the backseat, which was perfectly okay with her. Turns out, she had left the Rambo knife Negan had given her in the kitchen when she grabbed the crowbar, so she was completely free of weapons once again. It's not like she could kill anyone with her small, bare hands.

Negan reached over, taking the talkie that was connected to a radio Riley hadn't even noticed until now. "What do you got?" he asked, his voice so distinguishable that he didn't even need an introduction. Though she was still mad at him, she couldn't help but smile a bit. It didn't go unnoticed by Negan, as he was watching her from the mirror. 

_"Sir, it's raining again. They're done repairing the fence but it's storming like crazy, there's a chance it could fall again since it hasn't been able to sit overnight. We're placing more people on watch, but people are on edge all over the place. We're keeping an eye on it, sir."_

Negan was silent for a moment, and she could hear Simon whisper something to him faintly, but it wasn't clear enough for her to understand. Negan seemed to think about it, before speaking into the walkie, "Make sure those assholes don't bail, they sure as shit didn't stay last night. I had one fucking person on watch for forty minutes because they pussied out in the rain. There better be no fucking death by the time I get back."

_"Yes, sir. We got it under control."_

Negan hooked it back to the radio, leaning back into his seat with a sigh. The sky around them had darkened considerably, and she had the urge to roll the windows down and bask in the cool air that now probably smelled like rain. Riley tried to ignore the fact that Negan had blatantly referenced her to whoever was on the other end, and she couldn't help the swell of appreciation that swept over her.  

Not even five minutes later, it began to pour. Riley watched out the window, cautious as it was almost impossible to see, the only truly visible thing being the red light of the car in front of them, and the headlights of the truck behind them which housed the weapons, Dwight, and angry face. Simon was driving slowly, not making a peep as he stared intently out into the road. Riley wasn't even sure if he was still breathing.

When it didn't let up, Negan reached forward, snatching the walkie from the radio again. He spoke loud and clear, making her wince at the loudness of his voice even with the sound of heavy raindrops pelting the car, "Dwight, how far are we from base two?"

There was feedback from the radio, and she had guessed that it was due to the rain. Someone came onto the speaker, but it wasn't Dwight, it was angry face.  _"We're looking at the map, boss. If we go another mile our marker will appear. If we turn left at that road we're a straight line all the way down. Should I inform them we're coming?"_

Simon looked at Negan, barely applying any pressure on the gas. If they continued at this rate for another mile, they'd probably run out of gas. The two men shared a look as if mentally communicating with each other, before Negan spoke, "Yeah, tell them we're coming. Tell them we're staying the night for now. If it's clear by nightfall we're getting the fuck outta there."

_"Yes, sir."_

"Robert, did you get that?"

_"Yes, Negan, sir. We're keeping a lookout."_

Negan didn't bother replying, only putting the walkie back on it's hook. He licked his lips, angling his head so he was somewhat able to see Riley who was in the backseat, silent and hot as hell. "See, Sweetheart, I told you I'm everywhere."

Riley narrowed her eyes, before shaking her head, rubbing her hands over her face.  _Great, I'm stuck with these guys all night._

"Don't look so pissed, Riley," Negan smirked, looking at her in the rearview mirror, "You're not done yet, kid. I promise."  
  



	9. 8.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations to Kirstie Maldonado for winning her third Grammy along with Pentatonix on Sunday!! Without you, Riley Taylor would cease to exist.

**THE SMALL GROUP OF SAVIORS FOUND THEMSELVES WARM AND COZY AT BASE TWO, WHICH LOOKED TO BE A SATELLITE POST.**

It had been an interesting sight to see the men run around in the rain; wanting to put the guns in housing with them, but ended up being yelled at by Negan for being  _'a bunch of stupid fucks',_ actually making Riley giggle from the safety of the awning. She only got mildly wet, and Negan was watching in disbelief as the men finally gave up and made a run for cover, giving her a look as if to say, _'are you fucking seeing this?'_

Riley cautiously followed him inside, observing the interior of their temporary home carefully. It was nothing but gray and concrete; much like the Sanctuary back home, but in pretty good condition. It was quiet for the most part, as whoever was in charge here had stopped Negan, explaining the men were resting, preparing for a major run tomorrow. 

"Nice to hear things are going so smoothly," Negan said, handing Lucille over to Robert who was passing by, "Clean her for me, will ya?" 

"Yes, sir."

Pleased, Negan turned around, grinning hugely at a quiet, still observing Riley. He saw curiosity and unease in her expression, and he tilted his head, watching her take in everything. It wasn't much, but it housed more of his men and offered another place of refuge if one of the many other outposts went down. 

"You!" he said, scaring the shit out of her, "Come with me, gotta show you around and all that shit."

Riley obediently followed, ignoring the look of desire the head honcho was giving her, though it made her skin crawl. Negan didn't seem to notice, or care for that matter, but he did notice when Riley walked next to him closer than usual, definitely catching his attention. He smirked, "No reason to be nervous, kid."

"What is that guy's name?" she asked, not acknowledging what he said, but certainly letting it sink in on the inside.

"That's Patrick," Negan said, leading her through the halls. "He's like Simon, only more of an asshole. He's in charge here, though he's not my favorite."

She was quiet for a moment, knowing that now they were out of Patrick's sight, she could have moved away from Negan. Riley found, however, that she felt better being in close proximity to him. She always wanted to be tough, to be strong, but she knew that relying on someone else, even if it were only a little, wouldn't hurt anything. ".. I don't like the way he looked at me."

Negan paused in his tracks, taking in a deep breath. He looked down at her, releasing it with a deep sigh. He licked his lips, before leaning his face in close. Close enough that he could faintly smell her shampoo, though the bit of walker blood that splattered onto her hoodie was a heavy second. Her eyes never left his. "I wouldn't worry about that too much, Riley. I'm not letting you out of my goddamn sight the rest of the night," he said, before leaning away, giving her a grin, "Don't think I'd let him get away with that shit, I promise you."

Riley swallowed, his words circulating through her head like clockwork. All she could do was nod, finding it odd that the thought of being around him the rest of the night didn't bug her one bit. All it did was make her feel safe; safer than she felt with Simon or anyone else for that matter.

After that, Negan showed her around. It looked big from the outside, but she found that there was a bunch of tiny rooms that served as living quarters. There was a small kitchen, a small dining room, and a few bathrooms and only one locker room. Negan explained that it was mostly men who lived here, so gender differentiated bathrooms weren't a thing as long as it wasn't needed. This was one reason as to why he was going to be following her around; she was the only female present. Negan trusted his men, but not enough that he'd willingly let her waltz around by herself, knowing that some of these guys hadn't been laid in months, and she wasn't going to be their first. Not on his watch. 

"Well, kid, any questions?" Negan asked, turning to look at her once they finished their mini tour. 

"Yeah.. When can we eat?"

As it turns out, Riley wasn't the only one thinking about food. By the time they rerouted back to the kitchen, the group of men they came with was raiding it, finding whatever they could. At the sight of her and Negan, they kneeled, which she had completely forgotten was even a thing. She hadn't knelt for him all day. 

Negan smirked, giving her a look as if he were testing her to comply. She only looked up at him, trying to communicate with her eyes the same way he was doing with her. _No freaking way._

Negan chuckled, "As you were."

This layout was nothing like it was back home. There was a lot of fruit, canned soup, and packaged foods. It was like snacking multiple times a day substituted for actual meals, which in a way made sense as there seemed to be so many other places Negan controlled as his own. There was only so much to go around, and Sanctuary was the main priority above all others.

Riley headed for the fruit, visibly disappointed that there were no strawberries. There were bananas, though, which she gladly took along with an apple. Bananas were probably her second favorite, and if she couldn't have strawberries, bananas would do just fine. Negan was grabbing food for himself, actually shoving Robert away when he accidentally bumped into him; holding so much food he couldn't see where he was going. 

In the old world, Riley had never cared much for peanuts, but found them to be pretty decent tasting now, having to eat plenty of them with her family when they had to resort to eating only snack foods. She grabbed a pack, knowing she'd probably only be able to handle eating half before it started leaving a bad taste in her mouth. 

Riley tucked a lukewarm bottle of water under her arm, holding her fruit closer to her while she stepped aside, patiently waiting for Negan. He was whispering to Simon; his voice low and hushed. Simon's eyes darted to her, before going back to Negan where he nodded.

"Um.. Hi."

Riley looked over to see Robert smiling sheepishly. He had a stash of food cradled in one arm, but the other was hiding something behind his back. She tensed; for all she knew, there was a knife back there ready to gut her before she could even comprehend it.

"H-hi.."

Robert smiled, "Do uh.. Do you like popcorn?"

Riley frowned, her eyes darting back down to his hand. Now that he mentioned it, the smell of popcorn was floating right over to her, and it was making her mouth water. "Yeah.. Yeah, I do actually."

"Well, here," he said, bringing his hand around, showing her a small serving bag. It was one of those little bags a kid might find in their trick or treat bag. "All of us stuff ourselves, it's a given.. But you were just missing  _one_  little thing."

Riley beamed, reaching forward to take from him. "Thank you.."

Robert nodded, the middle aged man giving her a small smile, "No problem."

"That's enough," Negan said, his voice sharp, "Stop flirting with the help."

Riley rolled her eyes, leaving a disgruntled Robert to head over to Negan, passing by without looking at him. He followed.

Instead of going to the dining area with everyone else, Negan took lead and had her follow him down one of the halls, to the fifth door on the right. Without knocking he swung it open, gesturing for her to go ahead. Riley gave him a weary look, going in first. 

Negan flipped on the light, showing a simple room with a single bunk bed, a dresser, and a yellow rug that covered most of the concrete floor, but not all if it. Riley looked at him, seeing Lucille propped on the wall right below the light switch, her wood shiny and clean of any walker blood. 

"Home sweet fucking home!" Negan said, coming further into the room, dumping his food onto the bottom bunk. She stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, seeing there were no other chairs to sit in. Instead she set her things on the dresser, shrugging out of her hoodie. She laid it on the rug, turning it inside out as not to smear walker blood on herself or the rug. Recollecting her food, she set it on the hoodie, taking the apple first.

Negan watched her, not at all surprised that she took to the floor instead of asking him to move over. He couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him, shrugging out of his leather jacket, laying it on the floor opposite of her, before sinking down with her, moving his food to his jacket, mimicking her. Riley watched this, amused and unable to fight her smile. 

"Could've just asked, kid. I would have moved my ass."

Riley shook her head, peeling the little sticker off of the apple that said _cleaned._  "No, no.. This is way better."

**___**

Some time later, the rain still had yet to stop. It was nearing nine o'clock, and Negan had insisted that they stay for the rest of the night and just head out in the morning. Everyone seemed relieved, even Riley who was becoming tired and just wanted to sleep in the safety of Negan's room, away from the creep Patrick who continued giving her looks as Negan addressed their group. Riley was standing between Robert and Simon, though at the moment she would much prefer to be in the safe presence of Negan.

Simon had never really spoken to her outright, but whatever Negan had whispered to him earlier was about to change that. "He bugging you?" Simon asked, his voice low. Riley swallowed, darting her eyes over to him to find he was watching her carefully.

"He just creeps me out," she said. "He hasn't talked to me at all, just keeps looking at me funny."

Simon nodded, giving her arm an awkward pat. Riley smiled.

"All I can say is that all of you better be up bright and fucking early tomorrow morning. I want to get home, have some wives to screw." Negan said, sending a well calculated smirk in Dwight's direction. Riley had the urge to defend him; knowing that Negan could be an asshole, but she had been pondering how Gus had a wife and had never even mentioned her, and resorted to shoving her in a closet like he couldn't bring himself to kill her.. Only thing was, she didn't know the whole story.

The guys departed; Simon being the only one to tell her good night. Riley was surprised-- figuring that he'd always be cold towards her, but with him talking to her and Robert making an effort, it felt nice in knowing that she may just be accepted into their group of people; that she could be one of them. 

Negan approached her, arms out and a big grin plastered on his face. It was odd seeing him without Lucille, but without her, it made him much more approachable.. At least in her eyes. "If you gotta piss or something, do it now. I don't want you waking me up in the middle of the fucking night."

Riley rolled her eyes, shrugging, "You'd wake up if I needed you."

Negan's grin faded slightly, but only just. He let his eyes trail her up and down. It was something she welcomed, only because it was him. Negan could be crude, and crass, obviously, anyone who knew him knew that. Patrick, though, was a completely different story. He seemed like that one weird kid at school that everyone avoided and deemed as  _'creepy', 'weird',_  and  _'the next future serial killer'._

Riley sighed, breaking eye contact with him and moving away, wanting to freshen up before settling into bed. Negan let her brush past him, knowing that she was right.  _God damn, getting soft all because of a fucking girl. Ridiculous as shit._

The line for the bathroom was long, and Negan didn't have the patience, nor the energy to wait. He grabbed her arm, leading her away to another bathroom. It was farther away from their room, but it would have to do.

While she was in there, he leaned against the wall, sighing heavily. He could faintly hear the sound of rain hitting the metal roof, and it sort of calmed him. Negan needed to make sure that everything was alright back home; still worried about the fences and protecting his people. He pulled the walkie from his pants pocket, lifting it to his mouth, "Someone better be awake to give me a fucking status report."

In record time, a female voice that he recognized as Paula answered, _"It's still raining, boss. We rotated the people on watch, everything is going good."_

Negan sighed, hearing the distinct sound of the sink turning on behind the door. "Good. I'll check back in the morning."

He pocketed the walkie just as the door swung open, revealing a clean but disheveled Riley. Her long hair was put into a pony tail, and her face was shiny from just being clean. He watched her walk out, arms crossed over her chest. 

"I gotta piss, kid. Don't go anywhere." 

Riley leaned against the wall, not at all surprised when he went into the bathroom, leaving the door open. She couldn't help but blush, hearing the sound of his zipper being tugged down and the sounds of him urinating coming right after. She scrunched her nose.

"You better be fucking standing out there when I'm done." Negan called, zipping up before flushing the toilet. Riley heard the water turn on, leaning her head against the wall. It was almost therapeutic; calming her and successfully making her even more tired than she had been the past hour. 

When he came out, he wasn't at all bothered, only grinning at her before gesturing her to walk ahead, following after her as they headed to the room that promised sleep and peace. 

Negan insisted that she take top bunk, mainly because she was smaller, and if she decided to try and escape, he'd be able to hear her climbing down the ladder. Riley only laughed, knowing that there was no way in hell she was going to try and make a run for it when she had no idea where they were. She had other things than herself to worry about. 

When they were settled into bed, Riley tried making herself comfortable. The room seemed to have gotten colder, and even with the light sounds of the heater working, it didn't seem to be making any difference at all. The mattresses were comfortable, but the sheets were nothing like she was given back home. There was only one sheet to go with the bedspread, and it was so thin that if she were to poke it with her nail, it might actually break through. 

"Kid, you need to stop fucking moving. I can't sleep with you squirming around like a fucking infant up there!"

Riley huffed, ending up on her back, "I can't sleep."

She heard Negan sigh, "For someone who looked so tired, you sure as shit aren't acting like it now."

Riley stayed quiet, knowing that the only reason she wasn't able to settle down was because of the constant draft that seemed to come right through despite there being no windows and the door being shut. She was exhausted, no doubt about that. Her restlessness was just making it hard for him to fall asleep, too. 

A few minutes later, she sighed, turning on her right side. ".. It's too cold."

From below, Negan groaned. The bed shook as he threw his legs over the side, maneuvering himself out of bed to stand up. The room was so dark that she could only see the outline of his towering figure that she was now level with since he was so tall and she was up on the top bunk. He disappeared for a moment, before the light flicked on; blinding her.

She groaned, rubbing her eyes as they had went temporarily blind. There was a tug at her blankets, and before she knew it, she was sitting up. 

"Don't make me have to tie you up," Negan said, his voice low and threatening. "I'll lock you in the fucking closet if you don't stop moving."

Riley glared, fighting the urge to smack him. "It's not my fault we're sleeping in a fucking freezer."

Negan blinked, taken aback by her language. "Watch your fucking mouth."

".. You watch _your_   fucking mouth."

Negan's face morphed into a glare, not at all bothered when she followed right after. They eyed each other, Negan silently fuming while Riley was just mad that he had the nerve to be offended when she used a word that was very common in his personal dictionary. If anything, she got the habit from  _him._

"You're an annoying little shit, you know that?"

Riley shrugged, "You like it enough that you've kept me around."

"I keep you around in hopes you'll loosen the fuck up and hop on my dick," he replied, going to the dresser where he grabbed his jacket, throwing it at her. It landed in her lap; the smell of him assaulting her nose.. In a good way. "That's it, sweetheart. You're just a hot piece of ass that I want to fuck."

Riley was appalled to find that she was actually offended.  _Of course that's all you are, he's a man whore with an ego the size of Earth. Fuck you, Negan. Fuck you._

Negan watched as she stared at his leather jacket, her small hands coming up to run her small finger over the leather. "Put it on over your hoodie or something, I don't fucking know. I'm tired, and so are you, princess."

When the light was off and he was settled into bed, he couldn't help but lay there, mentally chopping off his own balls. He had never once cared if he offended someone; male or female, but the look on her face when he snapped at her was enough to leave him wanting to crawl to her on his hands and knees and beg for forgiveness. Riley was this cute, feisty girl with the tiniest bit of innocence to her, and he was drawn in from the moment he saw her kneeling for him when he came out of the Jeep; taking in all of the scared, disoriented faces of her people. The last thing Negan wanted was to become soft; especially in a world like they were living in now. 

The sight of her; muddied up and hysterical at the sight of her backpack being taken away was enough for him to hand it over with no questions asked. Normally he wouldn't care; he'd laugh at whoever was begging and tell them to suck it right the fuck up, but he couldn't, not then. She constantly pissed him off by running her mouth, but she was resourceful and smart; he needed someone like her on his team, on his side when things went to shit and they needed all the fighters they could get. Not only was she a decent shot, based on word of mouth, but she was deadly with a knife and seemed to take in her surroundings to see what she'd be able to use to solve potential conflicts. 

He had promised her that he had something else in store; that there was another test she needed to pass to be officially instated as one of his guys, but it was a promise he was going to have to break.  She already had the spot; he had known that the night before, but he didn't want to believe it. Being a Savior meant that she'd be risking her life, and fuck, he couldn't be around her 24/7 to make sure she was alright. Of course, he could always force her to stay on guard duty, but even that had it's own risks. A gate breech, someone watching them from afar, anything could happen and there was no avoiding it.

He knew he could turn her away; tell her she wasn't good enough, but even he knew that was complete bullshit. Riley was a fighter, and he wasn't about to be the one to crush her spirit, even if that was something he always did with people he came across. He'd do it to her brother, her friends, anyone that he didn't particularly like but didn't necessarily hate. Negan didn't want her losing that spark; and he'd be damned if  _he_  were the reason she lost it.

He wanted to get up and apologize for what he said, but it was no use as she had since fallen asleep.. It seemed that his jacket provided enough warmth for her to get comfortable and sleep, and damn, he'd take whatever he could get.

Negan finally drifted off after a few minutes; unaware that the girl above him had fallen asleep with a tear streaked face.

**___**

"Wake up, kid. We gotta get this shit show moving."

Riley stirred in her spot, her eyes barely opening, taking in her surroundings the best she could. Negan was standing next to the bed, his hand pressing into her shoulder, shaking her awake. "Come on, you need to eat something. Don't need you passing out on me again."

His words from last night hit her like a freight train. His hand disappeared from her shoulder, and she was ashamed that she actually missed the warmth that contact brought her. Her eyes felt like they had been sucked dry, and she knew they'd be blotchy the rest of the day; she'd look like shit.

Negan was reeling from the memory of how harsh he had been towards her. All because she was cold and uncomfortable. He still wanted to apologize; _needed_ to apologize and make things right. He heard her climbing down the ladder, and her un-socked feet padding against the floor before the door was wrenched open.

He turned, seeing her give him a look as she disappeared. He sighed, swallowing his pride before walking out after her.

**___**

"I don't need you following me around; I can take care of myself against assholes like you."

Riley kept walking, feeling his presence behind her, and it was very unwelcome. She had to pee and her mouth was beyond dry. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep some more; points be damned. 

Negan scoffed, "Didn't sound like it last night."

"I don't want to talk to you, go away." she said, and before he knew it she was in the bathroom; the door slamming in his face.

Negan grunted, stepping away from the door to lean against the wall. He saw his men coming out of their rooms; sleepy eyed and walking around like the dead. Some looked surprised to see him, others seemed to not have noticed. As a few went to kneel, Negan snapped, not in the mood, "Not today, get up and leave me the hell alone."

As the men gave each other confused glances, Negan turned away from them, seeing she still had yet to come out. His patience was wearing thin, and he knew if it got worse he'd snap at her even worse then he did the night before. Negan raised his fist, pounding on the bathroom door, knowing that if he hadn't fucked up, she would have laughed and told him to fuck off. Riley did just that, though there was nothing silly or halfhearted about it. She was  _pissed._

"Leave me alone! You're not helping anything, idiot!"

"If you keep up that mouth of yours I'm going to beat your ass," Negan said, meaning every word of it. "Hurry up, you're not the only one with a full bladder."

Inside, Riley stood up from the floor, unbuttoning her pants.  _Why can't you take a hint and leave me the hell alone._

When her bladder was empty and her hands were washed, she opened the door, giving him an icy glare before attempting to push past him, only to find that barely being 5'4 and a petite thing wasn't at her advantage when it came to a six foot something giant. He pushed her back in, shutting the door and locking it behind him before she could try and make another escape. Riley fought against him, pushing at his arm in an attempt to have a moment of advantage and get past him.. She failed.

"Do you really want to hold a grudge, Riley?" Negan asked, his brown eyes clear of anything friendly; only shining with impatience and annoyance. "If you stop being a fucking child for a goddamn minute I might actually get the chance to apologize."

"Why would you apologize for how you feel? For how you are?" she asked, pushing him away from her when he got too close. Normally she'd allow it, but..  _Fuck you._ "I didn't give it up then and I'm not going to now. You're an asshole."

The only female Negan had ever really allowed to dishonor him that way in recent times was Sherry. Mainly due to the fact that he had a bit of a soft spot for her, but he realized now that it was a softness that didn't remotely come close to what Riley dragged out of him. Sherry, though, was never this vicious; it was always a small jab, nothing more. Miss. Taylor never failed to get a rise out of him.. If you catch his drift.

"I don't know what you want me to say, kid," Negan said, truly having no idea how to fix it. He could tell her every way to say  _'I'm sorry'_ in every language he knew, but it wouldn't be enough. Truth of the matter is he liked her company; loved her presence even though she was a super hot, feisty little girl that loved pushing his buttons and seemed to be the only one besides Sherry that wasn't afraid of him. Hell, even Simon became a little on edge sometimes, and Negan would trust that man with his life. Dwight, well.. They'll work on that. "You want me to tell you that I'm sorry, that I didn't mean it? Maybe I should bow down and kiss your feet."

Her brown eyes held so much anger it was almost unrealistic. "Says you, you're the one that has multiple men on their knees for you."

_.. Mother fucking fuck_ **_fucker._ **

"I don't believe I heard you, Riley. You want to repeat that?" he asked, Riley suddenly finding herself cornered against the wall, Negan standing so close his chest was level with her head. If she were to lean forward, her head would touch the area just below his breast bone. "I don't believe you just insinuated that I like getting my dick sucked by a man, now do I?"

Riley stayed quiet, debating on how to answer. She knew how she wanted to, but it was a question of if she  _should._ Negan was staring down at her, his brown eyes now unreadable and almost inhuman like. ".. If the shoe fits."

She knew he was angry; she knew that it wouldn't take much more for him to snap. Riley could push him to his limit without any consequences on her part, even if it was just her defending or protecting herself; her well being.. Or her just wanting to be a bitch and piss him off, that too. 

"You wanna take that back?" he asked, closing the rest of the space between them until his chest was pressed to her cheek, forcing her to turn her head to the side. He was now realizing that she had taken her hoodie off overnight; wearing her shirt and his leather jacket over it. Negan knew that if someone were to see it, the rumor mill would be back in business. "I do not fucking appreciate that, sweetheart.. I'm not homophobic by any means, but goddamn I'd rather get my dick sucked by a fucking  _lady."_

As he talked, he found his hand moving to her cheek, his fingertips running over her soft, tan skin. Riley didn't flinch this time, instead wanting to lean farther into it, but tried not to considering he wasn't off the hook.. Yet, neither was she. ".. I think you should stop talking about it now."

Negan being Negan, he smirked, too amused for his own good, "Less talking and more doing?"

Riley couldn't help but smile at that, reaching up, knocking his hand off her face as gently as possible. "No, most definitely not."

"I can't just let you off the hook, kid. You gotta give me something."

Riley moved her head the best she could with having him still pressed up against her. She ended up resting her chin on his chest, not at all bothered by the closeness even though she hadn't fully forgiven him, she relied on Negan for some sense of intimacy on an emotional level. Riley wasn't sure why he had taken such a liking to her, besides the obvious physical attraction he felt towards her, but she had often asked herself the same in regards to how she felt about him.

"You can have your jacket back," she said, pressing her hands against him the best she could, pushing him away. Negan backed up, staring down at her and Riley was certain he actually saw disappointment flash in his eyes, but chose not to comment. "I don't have much to offer." 

Negan watched as she shrugged out of said jacket, revealing the skin of her arms that looked too soft for their own good. He swallowed, blindly grabbing onto the fabric when she handed it to him, feeling her bare arm brush against his as she walked past him, opening the door and leaving him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this chapter feels different.. That's because it is.
> 
> Also, if you guys are enjoying this, please let me know! I want to make sure you guys are good with the way things are going and that you're enjoying yourselves. I know their relationship is starting off slower than what I wrote for Riley and Jeffrey in the original story, but we're getting there, I promise! (For those of you who have read it) Give me a few words of wisdom!


	10. 9.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Is it bad that I was actually taken by surprise with what Negan did to Carson last night?.. Holy shit! Hope you enjoy!**

**JUST WHEN THINGS SEEMED TO SETTLE FOR RILEY AND THE GROUP, OTHER THINGS TURNED TO _SHIT._**

Riley and Blaine were forced out of bed in the wee hours of the morning just a few days after she had arrived home from the outpost. Negan was livid, screaming profanities at anything and everyone, absolutely terrifying the pair. Riley had never felt that way since their first meeting, but holy fucking shit could he be scary.

When he finally calmed down, he attempted to kindly explain what had transpired in the past few hours while everyone was asleep. He explained that a group of 'fucking ignorant assholes' raided the satellite station, killing all thirty some men inside before escaping, also killing Paula and a few others who had been out on a run when shit hit the fan, and the death count was around forty-three. Riley had no idea who they were, but the thought of Patrick no longer existing satisfied her in a way she couldn't really explain.. Nor did she want to.

That was days ago, and Negan was now prepared to make another.. Intervention.

Riley anxiously stood in his room; arms folded across her chest while she gazed out of his window, listening to the sound of him applying new, shiny barbed wire to Lucille. He had requested to see her, even though they hadn't talked much since the bathroom incident. Negan was silently fuming that she had managed to avoid him all this time, but he knew he deserved it. And that was something he never liked to admit to.

"I need a radio in this fucking place," Negan said out of the blue, startling her as she had been lost in her thoughts; watching the same bird fly in and out of the trees. "It's too damn quiet."

".. I saw some in commissary," she commented, letting her eyes flicker to him just to find he was already watching her. "You should invest in one."

Negan twirled Lucille in his grasp, not once taking his eyes off of her. Riley met his eyes, silently wondering what was going on through his head, but decided not to comment. Instead she stood up straighter, dropping her arms to her sides and coming further into the room, taking a seat on the same chair she had sat in when he brought her up here the first time. "Did you need me for something or are you just bored?"

His eyes fell to his bat, giving her a final twirl before moving to set her on the cushions beside him. Negan stood up, towering over the blonde beauty, giving her a panty dropping grin. "What I need is for you to listen," he said, shrugging out of his leather jacket, Riley's eyes drawn to the movements of his arm. "Those assholes are going to get a goddamn wake-up call. I have Simon and the others out, they're going to scare the shit out of that group, and I'm gonna line them the fuck up and tell them exactly how they're completely fucked.. and then I'm gonna introduce my girl over there," he said, pointing to Lucille who was nicely perched on the couch. "And I want you to be there."

Riley's eyebrows shot up, giving him a confused look, "And why is that?"

"Does it really matter, kid?" he asked, his face becoming hard.

"Yeah, it does. In case you've forgotten, you weren't exactly nice to me."

Negan scoffed, taking a few steps closer, putting him right next to the chair in which she occupied. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry."

"You're unbelievable."

"I don't know what you want me to say, kid. Either way you're coming, whether you like it or not, and there's no getting out of it."

"Is it acceptable for me to tell you to go to hell?"

Negan chewed on the inside of his cheek, watching her quietly before he shook his head, leaning his face down to where they were now on the same level. Her brown eyes met his. "You could.. But I'd advise you keep your mouth shut, sweetheart. I'm not in the mood for your mouth."

Riley huffed, standing up from the chair and making her way to the door. Negan straightened up, watching in amusement when she opened the door, only to be met by Tyson who was blocking her in, courtesy of Negan's orders. Riley turned, looking at him in disbelief. Negan smirked at her. "Seriously?"

"I didn't say you could fucking leave."

Riley rolled her eyes, promptly shutting the door in Tyson's face. There was a shout of laughter from the other side, making Riley pout as she came back and sat in her chair. "I hate you."

"Nah, sweetheart. You don't."

___

It was dark.

Riley sat in the RV, listening to the quiet sounds of Negan humming as they waited for the cue. He had insisted that she stay with him until it was time, but she asked to be let go and stand out with Simon and the others; unsure of how she'd be able to handle sharing any sort of power with Negan. He reluctantly agreed, telling her she could go out and wait, but she were to stay with Simon and not bitch about it. He'd personally escort her back when this shit was over with.

"So.. What do you want me to do?" she asked, wringing her hands as they sat in silence.

"You're going to stand there and look beautiful," he said, teasing her. Riley glared, her lips twitching when he sent her a smirk, standing up from the seat. "Your job is to stand there and watch. If I ask you to do something, you do it. Simon will give you a gun; don't fuck it up. Again."

"I won't," she said, immediately perking up at the thought of being able to handle a gun again. Her walks on patrol only allowed her to carry a knife until further notice. He seemed a little on edge about giving her a gun after the first incident. "I'll be good.."

"I know-" he said, looking up when the door swung open, revealing Blaine. Riley's eyes widened; having no idea he was even here. "They're coming, sir. We're getting ready now."

"Fucking excellent," Negan said, grinning at the boy before turning his attention back to Riley, watching as she shakily stood up. Blaine cleared his throat, shutting the door and disappearing. Negan frowned, watching as she went to the door, opening it halfway before he spoke, "Why do you look so fucking scared?"

Riley swallowed, thinking back to his words earlier. 'And then I'm gonna introduce my girl over there.' She knew what that meant, and it had been bugging her. But now it was showtime; there was no avoiding this. "You're going to kill one of them." she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.

"Of course I'm going to fucking kill one of them," he said, confused as to why she even cared. "They killed my men, and I'm going to fucking bash a brain in. It's only fair, sweetheart."

Instead of arguing, she sucked it up, only nodding before disappearing into the cold night. Riley jogged over to Simon, taking the rifle he handed her, giving her a tense look before heading over to the clearing, demanding they turn off all the lights, leaving everyone in darkness.

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Well, the typical nighttime sounds being an exception. Riley was wearing extra layers tonight, but she secretly wanted to ask Negan to borrow his jacket. It was oversized like her hoodie, but somehow it was warmer and she had to admit, she had felt invincible when she had worn it the other night. No matter how cold it was, the crickets didn't seem to care.

**___**

Negan had been lecturing the terrified group for a good five or so minutes. Blaine had casually made his way up to Riley, standing beside her in silence while her eyes followed Negan. Every move; twitch, smile, laugh, whatever it was, she saw it. He was the persona of deadly and terrifying, and the power radiating off of him was enough to make her envious. Now that she wasn't one in the lineup, there was something different about being in the audience instead of being the ones who had been hunted down and forced to kneel.

"I gotta shave this shit-"

_No, no you don't._

Riley watched as he approached the kid who was probably about five years younger than her. He was wearing a hat and his one eye was covered with an eyepatch. Riley wondered what had happened to him, but based on the look he gave her when he got down on his knees, he wouldn't be too happy in giving her an answer if she ever asked.

When he started eenie meenie miney mo, the unease the group was feeling was also felt by most of the people watching. Riley had the urge to hide her face; afraid that the sight of someone being bludgeoned to death would cause a repeat of what happened with Gus. She didn't want to faint, obviously, but more importantly she didn't want to disappoint Negan. Though he had plenty of help, if he needed her for something, she wanted to deliver.

It was the redhead who got killed. Blaine had brushed his arm against hers when Negan delivered the first hit, and both friends winced at the same time, hearing the crack the bat made when it came in contact with the man's skull. This was it; it'd be over and they'd be able to go home.

Until the long haired man shot up and decked Negan in the fucking face.

The action in itself had startled Riley, as the man had jumped up out of nowhere, taking everyone by surprise. Dwight rushed to Negan's aid, holding the man down before shoving the crossbow in his face. Negan rubbed his jaw, his eyes flickering over to her briefly before settling on the group, the man being dragged back in line.

"Now, I already told you people -- first one's free, then -- what'd I say? I said I would shut that shit down! No exceptions. Now, I don't know what kind of lying assholes you've been dealing with but I'm a man of my word. First impressions are important.. I need you to know me.. So back to it."

Then it was the Asian guy. Riley gagged at the sight of his eyeball, but Blaine had quietly shushed her; holding back his own vomit as Simon cleared his throat, shaking his head at the two as if he were mentoring them. The friends shushed, watching the scene unfold and soon enough, his head was nothing but a pile of mush. Riley could hear Negan's voice; yelling at and taunting the group, but she couldn't make out what was being said.

"Riley-" Negan said, making her heart hammer in her chest. He turned to her, grinning that stupid grin that always made her smile in retaliation. "Come over here." he said, waving a bloody Lucille around, some of it flying on Rick and his surroundings.

All eyes turned to her. Hopeful, excited eyes turned to her and she was forced to swallow the bile and move forward, her hands shaking as they held onto the rifle.

Negan turned to Rick and the others, giving them a sickly grin when she cautiously saddled up beside him, unsure of what was about to ensue. Negan licked his lips, smirking down at her before he spoke, his voice low and tense, "Don't look so worried, sweetheart," he said, flashing his brilliant white teeth. "You see this?" he asked the kneeling group, roughly grabbing Riley by the shoulder, jostling her around until she was standing in front of him. Unknown to her, Blaine tensed, the grip on his gun tightening. Consequences be damned, he'd shoot Negan in the fucking face if he tried hurting her.

"Little Riley over here was in your boat not long ago," he said, gently wiggling her around. "Of course, she didn't kill any of my men, but her stupid as shit leader did. And you know what? Here she is, working for me and doing a damn fine job of doing what she is told." he said, conveniently leaving out the fuck ups she had.

"She's alive, asshole," he said, raising his voice at a shaking Rick, "She's alive. I let her live, and that could be you and the rest of these sorry ass pricks you call your friends. And truth be told, I have a bit of a thing for this beauty," he said, his hand that was gripping her shoulder moving to her neck, letting his finger poke her skin.

Negan released her, his eyes telling her to stay put. He walked to Rick, kneeling down, staring at the man who was hesitating to meet his eyes. "You are soo fucking lucky she wasn't at that satellite station that night," he said, his voice so low that Riley could barely hear him. But Blaine could. "If she would have ended up dead, every person in this fucking lineup would be meeting Lucille." he said, giving Rick that 'I'm not fucking around' look.

Blaine's eyes landed on Riley; his brow furrowing in confusion and worry. Why was he so protective of her?

Negan straightened up, turning so his back was now to the them and he was looking at Riley. She swallowed, watching him as he got closer, the smell of him invading her nose. He was so close that she could touch his chest with her nose. ".. I'm gonna take Rick on a little ride," he said, his voice a grumble coming deep within his chest. "If anyone leaves, you're to stay here. Got it?"

Riley looked up at him, nodding. He grinned slowly, lifting his hand to touch her cheek. It was so swift that it took her a minute to even comprehend it happened. Negan turned back around, going back to Rick and she wasted no time in moving back to her spot, ignoring the horrified look Blaine was giving her.

**___**

It was early morning.

 _"-Welcome to a brand new beginning, you sorry shits!_  I'm gonna leave you a truck," Negan said once the sun came up and the leader, Rick, had finally cracked. "Keep it, use it to cart all the crap you're gonna find me. We'll be back for our first offering in one week."

Riley was practically asleep; tiredly watching as Negan finished the interrogation; having Dwight shove the long haired man, Daryl, into the truck where he'd be coming back with them. Negan took Lucille, propping her on his shoulder when he gave the group one last look over, his eyes finding her immediately. His face softened when he took in her tired state, and he instructed everyone to move and start heading back.

"Riley, you're with me." he said, ignoring the look of frustration that crossed Blaine's features when he passed them, gently taking her arm and leading her away.

The ride in the Jeep was silent. Negan had instructed Simon to go with Dwight, who was bringing Daryl back to Sanctuary in another truck. Riley sat in the passenger seat; rifle clutched in her hands and a small frown on her face. 

".. Was it  _really_  that bad?" he asked, his gaze falling on her when they were about ten minutes into the ride. "I mean, I know it's worse than what I did to you guys but damn, I don't think I deserve the silent treatment."

Riley cleared her throat, keeping her gaze down towards her lap. "It's just a lot to take in.. You're so ruthless," she whispered, and she could feel the deep intake of breath he took. "It's scary how you can be so nice with me, but with them you're just.. Cold."

"I gotta be a leader, Riley," he said, his voice so low it was a grumble. "I need fucking respect for them to take me seriously."

"Don't you ever think that maybe you're a little too violent? That you should tone it down a little bit?"

"No fucking way. They need to be scared; scared and able to follow the fucking rules. It's not fucking rocket science."

Riley huffed, rolling her eyes before turning her attention back to the window. "I think you're too harsh."

___

That afternoon, Riley found herself forced on her knees. Negan stood over her, grinning while she squirmed under Simon's grip as he held her down. Everyone was watching; Blaine, Starr, and Avi included. They stood off to the side, watching in fear and hatred as one of their own was ripped from her bed and forced to kneel for Negan in front of everybody. 

"Stop fighting," Simon hissed, his tone more serene than angry. "It's just going to make it worse."

"All of you know that I do not like my authority questioned," Negan began, turning to address the entire Sanctuary that had been gathered to watch the show, whatever it might be. "It's a fucking travesty that some of you think it's okay to do that." 

Riley closed her eyes, wanting to curl into a ball and hide. Simon could be like Negan, cold and uncaring when it came to taking orders, but this time he wasn't as keen on manhandling the kid below. Like Negan, he had a bit of a soft spot for her the more she was made to tag along with him, but orders were orders and he didn't feel like getting a taste of Negan's wrath that hadn't dissipated since their return in the morning. 

"I've been pretty fucking lenient with you, kid," he said, finally turning to look at her again. "I've tolerated that smart ass mouth of yours, and allowed you  _not_ to kneel for me.. This sight, though," he smirked, pointing a finger at her. "It's a picture perfect moment," he said, grinning before he whistled to someone, gesturing for them to come over. 

It was a man with a camera. He grinned, waving it at her before getting down on a knee, pointing it at her. Riley winced, ducking her head and fighting against Simon's grip. He sighed, tightening his grip and lifting her head.

"Are you feeling ashamed, Riley?" Negan asked, getting down to one knee so he was looking her right in the eye. "Because you fucking should be. I gave you the benefit of the fucking doubt, but this time you have crossed the fucking line." 

"N-Negan."

"Enough of that," he said, waving to the man with a camera to take a picture of her tear streaked face; crying mostly of embarrassment. "Take a few, Brian. I might have one of them framed for all to see."

When he was done, he stood up, giving her a grin before loping off. Negan grinned, taking Lucille from Dwight who was standing by; watching with a stone cold expression. Riley swallowed, crying harder at the idea of once again being in the same spot Rick and his group was in just hours before, and what she had endured just weeks ago. 

"This?" Negan said, swinging Lucille up to show her freshly cleaned wood and wire. "This isn't going to touch that pretty little head of yours," he said, flashing her a toothy grin as if to soothe her fears. It didn't work. "But.. It  _might_ , depending on how you answer this question."

There was a slight murmur through the crowd, but Negan shushed it, looking at everyone with an annoyed glance before meeting her gaze again, smiling slowly. With Lucille, he pointed to Dwight, "Who are you?"

"Negan." Dwight said with absolutely no hesitation. 

"Hmm.. How about you?" he asked, shifting Lucille so she was now pointed at Robert. 

"Negan."

Negan's grin got impossibly bigger, and with a final shift of his beloved bat, gestured to everyone in the room. "Who are ya!?"

"NEGAN!"

Riley jumped, so taken by his penetrating gaze that the sudden shout of hundreds of voices scared the shit out of her. It seemed to please Negan, as he chuckled, watching as Simon loosened his grip. "Hold her tight, Simon. If she's as sneaky as I think, she might try getting away."

Simon nodded, halfheartedly tightening his grip. He wondered why she was making him so soft. Truth be told, she had some good conversations with him, but that was about it. He watched Negan, debating on what his course of action would be if she didn't answer in the way she was expected to.

"So, kid.. Who are you?"

The silence was overwhelming. Her family watched, helpless and scared shitless at what was happening. They had all answered the question, though it was halfhearted on the inside, they didn't let that show in their verbal proclamation to his question. Negan was ecstatic at their answer, and had given them a little gift in exchange for their obedience. This time, though, the outcome might be completely different. 

"Answer the question."

Riley swallowed, her chest aching as the sobs wrecked her body. The softness that he had once shown her in the Jeep was extinct. Maybe it had never happened, the look in his eyes was a figment of her imagination. She sniffed, knowing that he was becoming impatient. 

"N-Negan.."

"What was that, sweetheart?" he asked, cupping a hand over his ear while leaning down. "I don't believe that I heard you."

She shook her head, sniffling, "Negan, please,"

"It's a simple fucking question, Riley," Negan said, laughing in disbelief. "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Riley's breathing got heavier, already hyperventilating and the act did absolutely nothing to soften Negan's intense gaze. He sighed, rubbing his chin that was slightly sore from getting punched earlier, turning to Dwight. "D, fetch the fucking iron."

Dwight nodded, immediately heading over to the furnace; cranking it on the highest setting. Riley watched as he grabbed a metal iron casually hanging from its hook, placing it on a pole before setting it in the fire.

Jackson, who was standing with her group, grabbed Avriel's arm, holding him back as the older man went to lunge at Negan. Luckily, the act went unnoticed and nobody commented, only watching with wide eyes as Negan kneeled in front of his favorite girl, smiling without humor. "It would be such a shame to see that pretty face get all burned and wrinkled like Dwighty-boy," he said, shrugging when she looked away from him. "You really think I want to do this to you, kid? I might be dying a little inside." he said, patting his chest where his supposed heart was sitting. 

Riley's neck was starting to hurt. Simon held her down firmly, but his arm was starting to shake from the increased pressure on her head.  _Come on, girl. Just fucking say it._

To the silent relief of Simon and her family, Riley lifted her head, looking Negan dead in the eye and saying, "I-I'm Negan."

Negan grinned, giving a shout of joy, before ordering Simon to release her. He did. "Dwight, turn that shit off. Riley made the  _right_  fucking choice."

Riley grunted when Negan grabbed her arm, yanking her up from her spot on the ground. "You're going to be going away for a little while," he said, giving Avriel a look, "You  _and_  your brother did some time and you only just got here. What a fucking shame."

Negan led her away, grinning at the protests coming from her family. Riley struggled against him, but her tiny figure was nothing compared to his. "That fucking cell still has your name on it, Riley. What a shame, I really fucking like you."

"Negan-" she cried, wincing when he squeezed her arm tighter at the mention of his name. "I- I can't stay in th-there."

They arrived at the tombs. An unnamed Savior was waiting; opening the cell with a straight face when Negan nodded his head to. He shoved her in, watching as she immediately fell to her knees; gasping at the slight pain she felt when her knee hit the stone cold pavement. 

"Sweetheart, you're a fucking gem who got a little too cocky.. And for that, you're staying down here until _I_  deem otherwise.. I'll have someone bring you a meal. Until then.. Lights out."

With a final smile, Negan pushed the door shut, leaving her in darkness. There was the sound of locks clicking, before the little compartment door opened, letting a swarm of light come into her temporary home. 

Riley shakily stood up, hearing absolutely nothing on the other side. She approached the door, placing her hands tenderly on the cold metal.

_Silence_

Anger reared it's ugly head, and she screamed, punching and hitting the door with all her might; tears streaming down her face when she began to feel the pain of her actions. 

Negan stood on the other side of the door, off a little ways so she wouldn't be able to see him. He listened to her cries, her yells for him to come back and let her out. Negan took a quiet, shaky breath,  fighting against himself to comply and do what she asked. But he couldn't; she needed to understand him, and if she had to learn the hard way, then so be it. 

After a good ten minutes or so, she finally stopped, clutching her bruised and slightly bloody hands to her chest as she curled up on the floor, crying hysterically. She was still dressed in her pajamas, but it was cold, despite it being pretty warm outside. 

She laid curled up the rest of the night. True to his word, Negan had sent someone down to give her dinner. Riley didn't catch who it was since she didn't bother to look, but whoever it was had watched her for a few minutes before disappearing. A feminine smell lingered for a few moments after, and Riley assumed that it was probably Sherry. 

___

"What did she do?"

Jackson and Phoebe had taken a seat with Riley's brother and two friends. It was just after final call for dinner, and the trio had taken their break before being joined by Avriel and Blaine who had just finished their own shifts with their respective jobs. 

"We have no idea," Blaine said, picking at his white rice. "He.. He got weird when we intercepted that group from Alexandria," he said, lifting his head to see questioning eyes watching him. "He called her over, kind of introduced her then he told the leader that they're lucky she wasn't at the outpost that got attacked."

"Riley never talks about him," Starr commented; not even bothering eating as she didn't have the appetite for it. "They're seen with each other all of the time.. Someone had asked me if they were a thing. But they can't be, he has wives and Riley is too smart.. too  _good_ for that."

Jackson looked over to Avriel who was sitting next to him, staring off into space. ".. You okay?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. 

"He could have killed her." Avi said, his voice low and.. scared. "She could be dead by now, and he wouldn't have batted an eyelash."

The group was quiet, looking at either their plates or their laps, wanting to eat but finding it hard as they were too worried to think about anybody or anything else but Riley who was being held in a cell as they speak. After all, Avi had did time in the tombs, and it was not a pleasant experience at all. It was cold, which is what worried him the most as Riley had a tendency to get sick easily and because she was so small, she got colder quicker than anyone he had ever known. 

"My baby sister is in jail," Avriel frowned, bringing his eyes up to observe his friends who silently pined for him. ".. If he lets her out tomorrow, and she's.." he closed his eyes, feeling his throat closing up, "If she'd dead, or even hurt.. I'm killing that son of a bitch."

The other four looked at each other; horrified at the idea of him actually killing their leader. It was suicide. "She's going to be fine-" said Jackson, watching as Avriel stood up, fighting back his anger. 

"And what if she's not?" he asked, his voice raising to where he was now yelling, "She could die down there in that fucking basement. Maybe she starves, or dies of fucking hypothermia, I have no fucking idea!" he said, not meaning to yell at Riley's friend who was only trying to help. "She could die and that asshole won't even care!"

He stormed out, flipping a chair when he kicked it away from him during his dramatic exit. 

Blaine gently grabbed Starlett's hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb when she sniffled. 

"She's okay.. She's going to be okay."

"Come on," said Phoebe, standing up and gently grabbing Starr's arm. "You need to rest. We'll take care of everything."

"No, you guys go up," said Blaine, looking down at Jackson who raised an eyebrow at the younger male. "I'll help Donovan clean up."

"Are you sure?" Phoebe asked, looking at Jackson for confirmation. He nodded, standing up. "You guys go to bed. There's not much left."

When they left, Blaine helped Jackson carry everything back. All that was left was to put away the little food that was left over. The dishes were done, but there would be a few leftover dishes in the morning that the cleaning crew would clean when they prepare breakfast. 

Blaine was scooping leftover rice into a container while Jackson packed away the last of the fruit, placing the cut apple slices in water to prevent them from browning. It was mostly quiet between the two until Blaine broke the silence, looking over at the other with a frown. "Do.. Would he actually.."

Jackson frowned, dumping the last of the fruit into the bucket. "Would who what?"

"Negan.. Would he.. Would he have used the iron on her?"

Jackson stayed quiet, lugging the bucket over to the opposite counter, covering the top with a few layers of plastic wrap. "He's done it before, Dwight being the prime example.. But, he might have with her, there's no way of actually knowing."

Blaine nodded, pondering what he was saying. "I just.. Could you imagine, Riley of all people getting her face.." he paused, shaking his head. He couldn't finish that sentence. 

"Let's hope we never find out."

When everything was put away, Blaine stood by awkwardly while Jackson closed up, flipping off the lights. When they left the cafeteria, Jackson paused, gripping Blaine's arm tightly. "It's Jackson."

Confused, Blaine frowned, his eyes flickering to his hand on his arm before flashing to his face. "Huh?"

"My name.. It's Jackson, not Donovan.. My friends call me Jackson."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DEFINITELY NOT HOW I EXPECTED THIS TO GO, BUT.. It's Negan.


	11. 10.

**TWO DAYS.**

Negan had left her in the cell for two days. It didn't seem like much from an outsiders point of view, but to Riley, it was like a lifetime. To make things worse, Negan himself let her out; only this time he wasn't smiling or making stupid jokes. He looked genuinely disturbed. Not that it mattered to Riley.

"Come on out, kid." he said, kicking a tray full of food that had gathered flies. Sherry had informed him that she brought down tray after tray, but it was always left untouched..  _Fuck_ , Dwight was feeding that prick Daryl dog food sandwiches, and she was over here getting the good shit and it only ended up going to waste. 

Riley didn't budge, only tucking her head further into her arm to avoid having to look at him. She heard him sigh, and if she knew him like she thought, he was rubbing his chin or his eyes with the pads of his fingers. 

"Riley, get up."

If it were possible to curl even further into herself, she'd do it. Unfortunately she wasn't that flexible and her current position was the best she'd get. "Leave me alone."

Negan scoffed, "You really want to stay in here?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her even though she couldn't see. 

"It's better than going out there," she whispered, her voice hoarse. Her throat was dry and Negan sighed, looking at the full bottles of water Sherry had given her that were already collecting dust. "I don't want to see anyone."

"Well that's just too fucking bad," he said, leaning down and scooping her up in his arms. Riley began to protest; attempting to push out of his grasp but he tightened his grip, making it impossible for her to get away. "You're getting cleaned up and out of here. Quit fucking complaining."

She gave up, slumping against him in defeat. She didn't even notice that he was without Lucille when he walked her out of the tombs and back to the outside world. The moment they left, a song Riley had never heard began to play.. Something about being on easy street. 

Riley was expecting to be taken up to her floor, where she'd shower in the locker room before being escorted God knows where. She'd love to be able to sleep in her own bed, but knowing Negan he'd probably make her go on patrol or some shit to further screw up her sleep schedule. She didn't have it in her to object, however, when he passed her floor and took her right up to the sixth.

The last few times she had been up here, there was always music playing from somewhere. This time it was silent. Too silent, and being down in that cell for two days had almost driven her insane. The continued silence wasn't helping matters at all.

They were in his room, and he had carefully set her down on her feet. Riley stumbled; her legs feeling like jelly and Negan held her up, chuckling a little even though he didn't find it necessarily funny. Riley glared at him, dirt covering her cute nose while she scrunched it at him in distaste. 

"You're going to go in that bathroom and take a damn shower," he said, pointing to his bathroom. Riley shook her head, casting her eyes downward. "I'm not fucking kidding, get your ass in there."

"You can't make me do anything else. I'm not doing  _anything_  for you."

"You're not showering for me, princess," he said, his eyes trailing over her dirty, ruffled figure. "Though it would do me a favor, you don't smell the best right now."

Riley glared, feeling the anger and sadness creeping on her already and this was the first time she's seen him since he locked her up. "You're such an asshole."

Negan ignored her, grabbing her arm and steering her to his bathroom where he shoved her in, shutting the door and locking it from the outside. Riley pounded on the door; cursing his name in every degrading word she could think of while Negan stood on the other side, watching the wooden door rattle with every hit her tiny fists delivered to its surface. 

_Shit, that kid has too much fucking anger._

Lucky for him, her rant didn't last too long this time. Riley sniffled, stripping out of her dirty clothes before turning on the water, avoiding the spray that would take a few minutes to fully heat up. Her feet, arms, hands, and face was completely covered in dirt that contrasted drastically against the clean skin that was covered by her pajamas. Some dirt had been smeared across her stomach and side when she had moved around, but that was about it. Riley climbed in, watching as the disgusting gunk rolled off of her and into the drain below.

While she showered, Negan had snuck in, leaving a pair of old sweats that had belonged to a former wife and one of his own shirts. He had snagged a pair of underwear from commissary, knowing that two days of wearing the same pair didn't feel the greatest. Negan quietly set it on the sink, not wanting her to know he was in there, though he couldn't see her. A quiet sniffle came from the other side of the curtain. 

When she came out sometime later, Negan was sitting on his bed; long legs crossed as he observed how much better she looked now that she was clean. He noticed she had left her pajamas in a pile on his floor. It would have to do for now. 

"How do you feel?" he asked, watching as her brown eyes darted around the room as if the place was completely foreign to her. 

Riley shrugged, stopping in the middle of the room to curl her toes into the carpet. Negan sighed, standing up from his bed, pulling the sheets back. "Climb in."

"N-No."

He sighed, not in the mood to argue, "Just lay down, Riley."

She pouted, staring at her toes for a minute before making her way over to his bed. He stepped to the side, watching as she crawled into the silk sheets, turning on her left side, facing away from him. He tucked her in, standing over her body as she ignored him; keeping her face hidden and not making a sound.

"You're to stay in here until I say you can leave.. You need to eat." he said, his voice firm. 

"I'm not hungry."

"If not eating, you need to drink something. I'm surprised you can even fucking talk your throat is so dry."

"Not my fault." he heard her whisper. 

Negan left, making sure she knew the door would be locked from the outside while he was gone. He needed to make sure Dwight was handling everything with Daryl, and that someone went to Riley's cell and cleaned it out; preparing it for the next unfortunate soul that would occupy it.

___

Riley had fallen asleepnot long after Negan left.When she awoke many hours later, the sun was going down and the room was starting to get dark. Riley always wondered if waking up before someone came into your room was just a coincidence, as less than two minutes after waking up, the sound of the lock being lifted came before the door was opened, revealing Sherry.

"Hi," she said softly, stepping further into the room, carrying a tray. At the sight of food, Riley's stomach twisted uncomfortably. "I brought you dinner.. I know you haven't been eating, but I think you'll like this."

Sherry sat the tray on Negan's bedside table, smiling a little when Riley slowly sat up, looking at the contents. A steaming hot bowl of Shepard's Pie stared back at her, accompanied with some juice, a small bottle of water, and a bowl of strawberries.. Her favorite.

"You have some friends who really care about you," Sherry commented, seeing the look on her face at the sight of her dessert. "I guess you're the only one getting strawberries tonight."

At the indication her family knew she was released, her eyes fell on the older woman. "They know he let me out?.."

Sherry nodded, giving her a sad smile. "Word spreads around here fast. They don't know  _where_ you are, but they know you're out and you're doing okay."

_I'm not doing okay.. I'm just not_ **_dead._ **

"I'll leave you alone," said Sherry, nodding her head towards the door. "Negan should be back soon."

_Great._

When Riley was alone, she reached for the juice, uncapping the lid before sucking half of it down in one gulp. It was cold and refreshing, and the sugar flooding through her system seemed to help a little when it came to her no longer feeling like death. She set the juice and the bottle of water on the table; bringing the tray to her lap. The smell of food made her stomach churn, but she knew she had to at least try and eat. Even if it was only a few bites it was better than nothing at all.

She ate the strawberries first, unable to control herself. They were fresh and delicious, making her one happy camper when the last one was popped into her mouth. Phoebe, she guessed, had mixed them in sugar and let them sit for a few minutes, getting a nice little glaze that Riley had always liked doing back when things were normal. It gave her a hint of nostalgia, making her current situation temporarily disappear for a while.

The sun had officially gone down, but there was no sign of Negan. Riley had eaten most of her supper, but there was plenty left over that she couldn't even fathom to eat. Though she was still upset with him, laying in his bed without his presence was starting to get on her nerves. Riley may have been quiet with Sherry, but she had spent two days in solitude and she wanted some human contact. Even if that person had to be Negan.

She climbed out of bed, taking in the surroundings of the now dark room. She flipped on the lamp, sighing a little at the faint light encasing the room. Riley thought of the library she had heard through Jackson that the Sanctuary possessed, and the urge to escape and find it was the most satisfying thought in the world for her at the moment. Negan had locked the door when he left, but Sherry may have forgotten..

Riley tried the handle, only to be relieved when it opened with ease. Negan's words from earlier rang in her head, and she almost chickened out before snapping out of it, wanting to stretch her legs. It's not like she was fleeing the premises; all she wanted was some books of some sort, or even a magazine. Anything to stimulate her mind now that Negan was MIA.

She found that her feet had a mind of their own once she left his room, softly padding down the hall and down the stairwell. She walked until her feet grew numb and she was far more into the factory than housing. Voices could be heard echoing throughout the walls, and it peaked her attention. 

Riley quietly climbed the catwalk, finding her way deeper into the room, listening as the voices got louder. Negan's voice was unmistakeable, but the other was harder for her to pinpoint as he wasn't as loud as their leader. There was an opening that Riley could peek into and see below, and she wasn't disappointed when she saw Negan and Dwight.

They didn't seem to notice her, and that was perfectly fine. They were talking about Daryl, and something else that confused Riley, but she didn't dwell on it too much as she was more afraid of getting caught by someone that wasn't Negan. At least with him, the chances of her getting off the hook were far more superior than getting caught by some bastard who would do anything to get good recognition from the boss. 

Riley sat pretzel style on the catwalk, adjusting herself so she could comfortably lean against the wall pillar that connected the stairs to the metal. She hated to admit how much she loved Negan's voice, especially when it wasn't anger directed towards  _her._ He seemed more annoyed than angry, which was a relief. 

Her feet were freezing by the time their conversation had ended. Riley stood up, peeking out just in time to see Dwight leave, leaving Negan alone to think. 

It was quiet for a moment, before Negan spoke, his tone accusing. "I know you're there, kid."

Riley blinked; staying in her spot. She had hidden behind the wall again, but he must have seen her.. somehow.

"You might as well come out.. While I'm in a  _great_  fucking mood."

Riley hesitated, before quietly walking down the stairs, walking over to the man who was watching her in silent amusement. "I see you've forgotten about the walkies.. Someone saw you, decided to report to me that you 'escaped'."

She should have known. Riley leaned against the railing, quietly saddling up beside a Lucille toting Negan who gave her a smile, though she was doing her best to ignore it. "I gotta say, sweetheart. You don't look like a fucking corpse anymore."

Riley frowned, staring at her feet. "Thank you?"

Negan sighed, "I wish you'd look at me."

She brought her gaze up, eyes meeting his, "Is that better?"

"Yeah, but I really didn't want to have to ask."

"I'm not sure what you want me to say."

Negan remained silent, lightly tapping Lucille against the railing. He continued to stare straight ahead, giving her the freedom to stay quiet and look around, lost in her thoughts. The only sounds being the  _dang_ from Lucille rhythmically hitting metal. 

Riley stood up, sighing as her hands curled around the rail, "What did you do with Daryl?" she asked, thinking back to the man who had decked Negan in the face. Now that he had humiliated her, she found it more amusing than she did when the incident actually happened. 

"We're trying to break him down.. He's a tough motherfucker, I gotta give him that."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You're keeping him locked up too, I'm assuming?"

"Of course. Thats what Dwighty-boy and I were talking about. A little bit of sleep deprivation, dog food-"

"Dog food? You're feeding him  _dog food?"_

"As much as I'd like to take credit for that it was D's idea, not mine."

"Still, you don't have to condone it."

"Sweetheart, don't make me have to toss you in there again. I hoped you had learned your lesson the first time."

Riley shrugged, her voice lowering, "Just saying.."

Negan stared at her, before moving in closer. Riley lowered her eyes, staring at his jeans since they were right in her line of vision. His eyes were burning into her skull and she was trying her best not to crack and instead keep ignoring him.

"I didn't enjoy doing that, Riley. Trust me, it  _killed_ me inside to do that to you. But you gotta learn, and if has to be the hard way, then.."

"Your sarcasm hurts."

He scoffed, "Maybe so, but I still didn't enjoy doing it."

".. We weren't even in public. It was just the two of us."

Negan sighed, rolling his eyes before pushing away from the rail, swinging Lucille to her usual position. "Yeah, and?"

Riley stared at him, before shaking her head in disbelief. "..Nothing."

He threw his arms up in the air, giving her such a confused expression that it was almost comical. "Were you always this fucking complicated, or do you just like pissing me off?"

She didn't say anything, and he knew that was all he was going to get from her. Negan rubbed his eyes with his fingers, pushing away from the rail. "You're giving me a damn headache. It's time for you to go to bed."

"What are you, my dad?"

Negan watched her, blinking in surprise before laughing loudly; his body leaning back a little as if his powerful voice actually made him tilt.  "No, but I could be, sweetheart. It's after curfew, you're lucky I'm not in a shitty mood. "

Riley paled, shaking her head while passing him. She wanted to go to her room; see Blaine, seek comfort in him and Bailey, if she was still staying with them. Negan walked beside her, forward a little to where he was technically leading the way. He started to whistle, and it made her think about her grandfather who always whistled.. before. He was an expert and tried teaching her many times, but she never got the hang of it. It was embarrassing, really. Especially since Negan was so good at it. 

"Where do you think you're going?"

Riley paused, her hand hovering over the door handle for the fifth floor. "I'm going to bed?" 

Negan raised his eyebrows, "Yeah, but you're staying in my room for the night." 

Riley had protested; more than he would have liked, but she ended up following him back up to his floor. They were met at the sight of his wives, all standing in front of their respective rooms, waiting with their arms behind their backs.

"You weren't waiting for me, were you?" asked Negan, a huge grin on his face as he observed all of the girls. Riley stood awkwardly in the back, her head slightly down and so close to his shoulder that the leather of his jacket occasionally brushed against her skin. "Shit, you girls are making me feel bad." he said, stepping forward and away from Riley, making her feel exposed.

Negan became surrounded, fully enjoying every bit of attention they gave him and Riley felt like a lost puppy. They followed him down the hall to the last room across from his, and Riley watched as the last girl disappeared; a tall, thin redhead who gave her a glance before she walked into the room. Riley debated on skipping out and sneaking off to her room, but the thought of being locked up again or getting a worse punishment was enough to steer her away from that. 

Instead, she quietly followed, stopping at the open door where she peeked in, watching as Negan sat in a chair, the same redhead from before going behind him to start massaging his neck. Most of the girls sat on the couches and chairs, while the others swarmed Negan, touching his jacket, or his hair, whatever.. It made her want to throw up.

She went into Negan's room, not surprised to see the bed had been made and her tray of food was now gone, instead being replaced with a pitcher of water and a few plastic cups. Riley poured herself a little, hesitantly sitting on the corner of the bed that had been so wonderfully made. 

Ten minutes soon turned to twenty, and by then she was in his bed, curled up and hiding. She could hear talking and laughter still coming from across the hall, and she was thankful that it was that and not the endless moans that she had endured a while ago.  _That was so embarrassing._

When Negan had finally bid his wives goodnight and opened the door to his room, Riley was already asleep. He put Lucille on her usual post, shrugging out of his jacket and approaching the bed, gently smoothing out the small crease in her forehead while she slept. Her skin was warm but not alarmingly so, and so soft that it felt unreal. 

Negan felt like a dick for ditching her, but appearances were important and fuck was it a relief that none of the girls had asked about her. As he showered, he thought of what he'd say to them if they had asked.  _Oh, she's just the girl I desperately want to fuck._

Negan took one of the unused pillows from his bed afterwards, giving her another glance to make sure things were okay before taking the couch. He could hear her light breathing as he laid back, sighing a little when his tall frame barely fit on the couch. His feet were perched on the arm rest, and it wasn't too uncomfortable but it would take a while to get used to.  _Damn, I should just crawl into bed with that beauty._

Negan decided against it, not wanting to push it any farther than he already had. Whatever friendship they had somewhat built was struggling enough as it was, and he didn't want it crumbling anymore than what it had.. After all, she was becoming his favorite, even though she more than likely already was.

___ 

The next morning, Negan was woken up by a loud _clang!_

He sat up quickly; sleepy eyed and disoriented before his eyes fell on Riley who was hanging halfway off his bed; her mouth slightly open and her arm resting on the bedside table. One of the cups had fallen off and hit Lucille's post, thankfully missing his girl and rolling under his bed. Negan furrowed his brows, watching as she slept without a care in the world that Lucille could have been knocked on the floor. 

He got up, already knowing he was done sleeping for the day. He changed into his usual attire; black jeans, a white t-shirt, and his jacket. He purposely slammed the bathroom door shut, causing her to startle awake while he went to the curtains, ripping them open and allowing the light to come through. "Rise and shine, princess. We have shit to do today."

Negan watched as she pulled the cutest expression, brows furrowed and her cheeks puffy like she had a few teeth taken out. Her face was flushed, and her hair was.. Interesting, to say the least. "What time is it?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

"It's just after eight. Your clumsy ass woke me up, make sure to get that damn cup you knocked off the table, 'kay? It rolled under the fucking bed."

Riley huffed, plopping back down on the bed, mumbling something he couldn't quite catch. Negan shook his head, going over to his bed where he ripped the sheets off of her, grinning when she glared at him. "Get your ass up, we're paying Alexandria a little visit today."

She gave him a confused look, "But you said a week, it's only been three days."

"Well that's too fucking bad. I'm bored. And, quite frankly, I'm becoming impatient so hurry the fuck up, I don't have all fucking day."

"I need to get clothes," she mumbled, finally sitting up and carefully sliding off the large bed. "You're going to have to wait."

"Fine. You get changed, I'm gonna round up the group.. Get some breakfast, too. I can't be worrying about you passing out and fucking everything up."

Riley went to his bathroom, gathering her clothes that were still on the floor before brushing past him, leaving his room without a word. The hall was silent, and not even a peep was heard from inside the rooms when she went to the stairwell, going down to the next floor. 

She wasn't as disappointed to find that neither Blaine nor Bailey was there like she normally would be, but she knew she couldn't dwell on that for long. Riley tossed her clothes into the laundry pile, before wiggling out of the sweats and neatly folding them up and placing them on her bed, making a note to give them back to Negan. She fingered his shirt, feeling the fabric between her fingers before slipping it off, swiping some deodorant under her arms before putting on a bra and slipping his shirt back over her head. It hugged her chest better with the addition of her bra, and she chose to wear jeans today instead of shorts, mostly since she had plenty of stubble that she'd need to take care of tonight.

Riley brushed her teeth and put her hair into a messy bun, before digging through her bag to find the lens cleaning wipes for her glasses. When she only found one, she sighed, making yet another note to ask if commissary carried anything. In case they didn't, she settled for using her shirt to clean them off.

Shoes on, teeth brushed and ready to go, she headed downstairs to commissary, not fully ready to face her friends who were working in the kitchen. As much as she wanted to see them, something was holding her back and it was unclear to her exactly what it was. Riley hoped that she wasn't making Negan late, as he didn't specify a time or place with her and she was just doing her own thing in hopes she'd be alerted when it was time.

The sun on her skin felt amazing. Being in that cold, dark place for two days and then sleeping it off right after had made her feel isolated and shitty. It was warm outside, but not hot and she welcomed it fully, tilting her head up towards the sun while she sat on a bench; a banana and a water in her lap.

"Hey, shorty, the boss finally let you out?"

Riley looked up, seeing Dwight standing there. 

"No, I actually escaped last night. Figured I'd enjoy some of my freedom before being thrown in the tombs again."

Dwight winced, taking a seat on the bench beside her. "I guess I deserved that."

She shrugged, "I'm sorry."

He looked confused, "Why are  _you_  sorry?"

"I'm just.. In a weird mood."

Dwight didn't say anything, only looking down at his lap. Riley started eating her banana, trying to ignore the awkward silence and enjoy the light breeze and sunshine.

"You coming with us to Alexandria?" he asked after a few minutes.

"I don't think I have a choice. When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you and D get off your fucking asses,"  _Negan._ "Let's get this show on the fucking road, I know Daryl over there's anxious to see his people."

Riley and Dwight stood up at the same time, watching as a cute girl with pinned up blonde hair assisted the others in bringing Daryl to a truck; his hair hiding his face and wearing a dirty jumpsuit. He was barefoot and Riley felt for him, knowing she'd give him her boots if she knew they'd fit him. Negan grinned at her, making her immediately drop her gaze and walk forward, wishing she could just smack his stupid face.

She kept a look out for Blaine, hoping he was tagging along even though the thought of seeing him made her nervous. Avi was at the garage at this time, so she knew there was no way in hell she'd be seeing him before leaving. She sighed, standing by while everyone collected a weapon of their choice. 

"Take this."

Dwight handed her a Desert Eagle. "It's completely loaded, don't waste anything." Riley nodded.

"Are we ready to fucking go yet?" Negan asked, looking around while everyone mumbled an agreement. "Great. Those assholes aren't gonna know what hit 'em."  
  



	12. 11.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Added some things, tweaked a few timelines.. Enjoy!!

**THE DEVILS ON HIS WAY..**

**"LITTLE PIG, LITTLE PIG! LET. ME. IN!"**

Riley shifted beside Dwight, hiding her grin by biting hard on her tongue.  _Of course, what a show off._

The gate slowly slid open, revealing a tall guy with shaggy brown hair. One of the girls that was in the lineup stood behind him, glaring daggers at Negan and Riley watched her quietly; hand on the knife she took from Negan who only gave her a dimpled grin.

"Uhm.. Who are you?"

"Oh, you better be joking!  _Negan_ , Lucille.. I  _know_  I made a pretty strong first impression!"

Riley's eyes slowly slid over to Daryl, watching as he kept his gaze down as another voice entered the conversation. It was Rick. She silently pined for him, but she knew it wasn't a good idea to develop a soft spot for the prisoner. They killed their men; a few of them being people she had come to know in the few weeks she had been here and.. these people didn't deserve her sympathy..  _She_  could have been at that outpost.

Negan continued to make a show, killing a walker with Lucille before demanding everyone to scatter and find some good shit. Riley followed quietly, passing him and ignoring the twinkle in his eye as they went through the gate, revealing the community that was Alexandria.

"Hot diggity dog! This place is magnificent!"

_"Sure likes showing off, doesn't he?"_

Riley's eyes widened, turning to see Blaine standing beside her; face passive and staring straight ahead at Negan who continued to badger Rick. He slid his eyes over to her briefly, before clearing his throat and causing her to look away. She nodded, lowering her head to stare at her feet until Negan's loud, un-playful voice shattered her brief moment of mental solitude.

"Come with me, sweetheart." he said, his tone sickly sweet and she looked up at him in confusion, knowing he was talking to her but didn't want to believe it. Rick and a few others who were there that night turned to look at her. The hispanic woman glared at her, looking between the young adult and the older man who was grinning at her, forcing Lucille into the hands of Rick. "Hold this."

Riley followed Negan as he began walking, taking in Alexandria for all of it's glory. He had the biggest grin on his face, gesturing with his now free hands at all of the houses to raid and the people standing by, giving them frightened, confused glances on occasion. Riley ignored them, only walking beside the man who had a hold on her that she didn't know how to break.

"If you see anything you like, princess, fucking take it. It's ours now."

"Is 'princess' going to be a reoccurring nickname now?" she asked, looking up at him with a genuinely curious expression.

"I think it has a nice ring to it, don't ya think?"

"If you say so."

Negan grinned, watching as his men and woman did their jobs; taking what the Sanctuary needed and what they wanted. "You becoming shy, Riley? You have all of this at your disposal and you choose  _not_  to take anything."

".. I thought I was just here to follow you around."

Negan grinned, pausing to turn and look at her.

"I don't need a fucking babysitter.. I'm Negan," he said, clapping a hand to his chest as she stared up at him. "But if you insist, sweetheart. One hot piece of ass covering another."

Riley blinked, looking up at him in disbelief before chuckling quietly, turning and walking towards a random house. "You're so full of yourself."

_"I know."_

_____

As it turns out, it was harder for her to take something that already belonged to somebody else.

She had picked up a fleece blanket that was draped over the back of a couch in one house. She ran her fingers over it, soaking up the warmth and even went as far as bringing it up to her nose, gently inhaling. The fabric was silky smooth, and she knew that with this she'd sleep like a baby. As much as she wanted it, she couldn't help but think of the looks on the faces of the owners who idly stood by, watching as person after person came in, taking their furniture, food, clothes, everything.. Riley put it back.

Simon decided to make an entrance just as she put it down. He came over, watching her quietly before he grinned; a grin that gave Negan a run for his money. "You like this, don't you?"

Riley cleared her throat, watching as he picked it up, unfolding it and holding it up as if he was checking it out for any rips or tears.  _Say no, say no._

"Y-yeah, it's nice.."

"Then take it," Simon said, half-heartedly folding it and holding it out for her to take. "You don't have to feel bad, cutie. It's not like these pricks gave a shit about our feelings."

She stared at it for another minute, before hesitantly taking it from him and holding it against her chest. Simon seemed pleased, yanking up his jeans before patting her arm and moving on.

Riley held the blanket to her chest as she left the house; not giving whoever lived there a second glance as she stood outside in the sunshine and warmth. She looked around, having the urge to find Blaine, yet wanting to find Negan at the same time.

_Whoever you find first gets the gift of your company._

With that in mind, Riley set off, keeping an eye out to find the two men in question. She didn't even know Blaine had been recruited; if he was here, where was Bailey?

"And where are you going, hot stuff?"

Riley paused, turning to see a short, chubby man with a leering grin watching her. Sadly, she recognized him as someone who lived at the Sanctuary. She didn't know his name and something told her she didn't want to.

"I haven't seen you around. You live here with these sorry pricks?"

Riley frowned, her grip on the blanket tightening. "No, I'm from the same place you are."

He didn't seem to believe her, instead walking forward and getting in her personal space. She didn't notice that he wasn't alone; his buddies were watching, interested in what they thought was about to happen. "Dude, back the hell off."

 _"Oho!_  You're a sassy one, ain't ya?"

_How in the hell can I recognize you but you can't do the same?_

"I'd leave her alone, man. That's the bosses fuck buddy."

Riley turned, glaring. "I'm not fucking Negan."

"And that's his own damn fault. If I had that ass following me around I'd fuck your brains out!"

"Well excuse my fucking goddamn French!"

_ohhhh boy_

Negan came into view, followed close by Rick, Dwight, Daryl, Blaine, and a few others. Dwight looked deeply disturbed, while Blaine looked absolutely livid. He was clenching his rifle with tight fists, his eyes finding hers immediately. She shook her head as subtle as she could manage.  
"Do we have a fucking problem here, sweetheart?"

Riley blinked, shooting a cautious look at what's his face who gave her a nervous look.  _Not so tough now, are you?_

"Uhm.. Sir?"

"Don't be coy, sweetheart. Is this asshole bugging you or did my ears deceive me?"

Now, Riley didn't like being the center of attention, let alone cause trouble even though she'd very much like to see this asshole get his head beaten by Lucille. His whole demeanor had changed now that Negan was around, but the thought of encountering him again in the future sent a cold chill down her spine.

Negan raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer before turning and addressing the audience behind him, "Am I the only one hearing things? The cat must have her tongue!"

"I heard it," said Dwight, his voice loud and slightly shaky. He had never really cared for most people, but like Simon, he had taken a liking to the younger Savior. She reminded him of Sherry back when they were teenagers. "It sounded pretty.. gross to me."

Negan chuckled; the sound low and hoarse. "See, I fucking knew it. Tell me, Thomas, what the hell gave you the impression that it was okay to harass this beauty standing in front of me?"

 _Thomas._  "Negan, sir, I was just.."

"You were just what?" Negan asked, taking a few steps forward so he was now hovering in front of the man. Thomas avoided his gaze, staring at the ground and Riley knew that Negan wouldn't appreciate that much. "Let me guess, you were pulling her leg? You were just joking? You wanna be a big, tough asshole when nobody else is around and then cower when you get caught?"

"It wasn't like that, Negan, sir.. I didn't mean anything by it!"

Again, he chuckled, licking his lips and turning to address Riley who was still clutching her blanket while remaining silent. He tilted his head slightly, watching as she trembled and he shook his head, becoming angry. "I'd really like to believe you, Thomas. But.. It's my job to torment the living shit out of someone, not some entitled asshole such as yourself."

"Negan, he didn't hurt me, it's oka-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Riley!" Negan snapped, a fire burning in his eyes that proceeded to send more chills down her spine. "Sexual harassment is not tolerated here!.. Not under my watch. Unless, of course,  _Rick_  here feels differently."

Rick immediately shook his head, his long, sweaty hair swinging around his face as he spoke, his tone quick and possibly terrified, "No, absolutely not."

Negan grinned, giving a shout of approval. "That's what I'm talking about! Glad we finally agree on something, Rick.. Simon, handcuff this asshole and take him to the truck. I gotta decide how I wanna proceed. I might just kill the fucker, I don't know."

Riley watched as Simon snagged a pair of handcuffs from the person next to him, wasting no time in apprehending Thomas who glared at Riley. She stared back at him, not noticing that Negan had sidled up beside her. "Don't even fucking breathe in her direction, prick!"

Thomas looked away, growling as Simon and a few others took him away. She felt strangely relieved, though was disturbed to find she wished Negan would have just killed him.

"You're just a trouble maker, aren't you?"

Riley turned, seeing that the Hispanic woman was glaring at her. Negan scoffed, rubbing his chin before turning around and staring at her in disbelief. "Seriously?  _Seriously?_ Don't you have shit to do? Like, going out and getting shit for me?"

 _"Rosita,"_ Rick urged, holding his hand out towards her, "Stop."

"No, Rick. I'd love to hear what she has to say." Negan said, grinning at Rosita who continued to glare daggers at him. "She has such strong opinions, it would be a shame not to hear them."

"Your  _puta_ has my blanket."

Negan chuckled in disbelief, "Who the fuck do I look like, a Spanish teacher?"

"She called me a whore." Riley said, blinking when many pairs of eyes turned to look at her.   
 _".. What?"_

"Nothing," Negan said, turning to give Rosita a smirk, "How about you leave? Go and get me some good shit, while getting yourself another blanket in the meantime. Don't be so pissy..  _Rosita."_

Riley watched as she walked away, before looking down at the stupid blanket. _Jesus._

"Are we done being a bunch of pussies?" Negan asked, addressing the small audience that watched him in either fear or amusement. "Jesus, Rick, your people sure do have a bunch of sticks up their asses."

**___**

"Riley, slow down!"

It was Blaine. 

"I just want to go home." 

He caught up to her, taking her arm in his hand. "Come on, she's been like that with everyone since we've arrived. She left with that guy."

"It's not just that," Riley sighed, plopping down on the curb. Blaine followed. "I feel so..  _Dirty,_ taking things that don't belong to me."

"Then don't take anything.. You don't have to, Riley. I sure as hell haven't."

"Simon told me to take the blanket.. I wanted it, but it just didn't seem right."

"What'd you do with it?"

She chuckled a little, tucking a stand of hair behind her ear. "I just left it in the street. That girl can keep it, I don't want it anymore."

".. Negan's taking all of their guns," he said after a few minutes, sighing when she gave him a look of confusion. "I guess Rick's son got a little carried away; threatened two guys and then Negan. They're taking inventory now."

"How are these people supposed to defend themselves?"

"I think that's the point.." Blaine said, slowly trailing off until it was completely silent between the two. 

They sat there for a few minutes, before a gunshot startled the tranquility of the afternoon. Both friends shot up, running in the direction that other bystanders were heading in only to find that nobody was hurt, and Negan was happily observing the window he had just shot out. Riley sighed, running her hands over her face. 

  
"Funny how a  _'holy shit someone's going to die'_ lights a fire under everyone's ass." Negan said, smirking at Rick before handing the gun to Dwight, who loaded it in the truck with all of the others. 

"Why the long face, sweetheart?" Negan asked, grinning when Rick shifted uncomfortably. Riley shrugged, scratching her arm and unconsciously stepping closer to Blaine. Negan licked his lips, watching her for a second before leaning close to Rick, whispering, "I hope for your sake none of your pricks upset her. I already have one asshole in custody, and that little Latina of yours pushed it a  _little_  too far for my liking."

"I'm fine, Negan." Riley said, trying to figure out why he continued to throw her out there like they were.. in love? a thing?  _I'm so confused._

"Back to it!" Negan said, waving his arm and once again leading them on a journey through Alexandria.

___

She was still wearing his shirt.

Of course she was.. Of course he noticed

He wanted to make a comment about it when he saw her sitting on the bench with Dwight, but decided against it.. He'd work on that later.

Negan didn't like killing woman, but that damn Rosita had gotten on his last nerve and he vowed that the next time she opened her mouth to spit fire at his girl, she'd be getting a visit from Lucille. He was already angry with Thomas, but he was working on getting on better terms with Riley and if she saw him kill the guy it could fuck things up even more.. Though letting Thomas live wasn't okay by him, and he wanted her to feel safe. 

They had just finished loading all of Rick's guns into the truck when one of Negan's men brought over a video camera. "You should take a look at this." he said, handing it to Negan who grinned, looking down at the fully charged camera. 

"What is  _this?.._ Got my fingers crossed for a little freaky deeky!"

He grinned at Rick; the smile getting impossibly bigger when he heard the unmistakeable sound of Riley snickering before turning, facing away from them and he could have sworn he heard a giggle. 

 _"Jesus.._ Let me tell you, Rick. I would _not_ have messed with this guy.. Where'd he go?" he asked, licking his lips and watching as Rick intentionally avoided his gaze. "It's a fucking shame, really." 

Riley watched as a few men loaded a couch into the truck, and she couldn't help but wonder where the hell they'd put that. In their room? Put it in commissary? 

"Nope!"

The sound of the camera clicking shut made her turn around, just as Negan shoved it into Rick's chest and came forward, tossing his arm around her shoulder and carelessly pulling her into him as he kept walking. "It is a beautiful fucking day to take a fucking walk, isn't it?" he asked her, giving her a smile that made her lips twitch in return. 

"Are you on something?" Riley asked once they were far enough away, standing in front of a huge pond that was right smack dab in the middle of the community. "I know you're always flamboyant, but you're on a whole new level today."

"It's all part of the charm, kid," Negan said, watching as the sun reflected off the water. Riley tilted her head, watching the breeze gently move the water in little waves. "If you like it, we can take advantage of that.." he said, leaning closer and giving her yet another grin. 

Riley shook her head, unable to keep from smiling and smacked his arm, pushing him away and he was nothing but amused. "For someone as handsome as you are, you sure do have an ego."

"Ahh, you think I'm a catch?" he asked, kicking a stray rock that stumbled right into the water. 

"I'll probably regret saying this but yeah, I do."

"Just one step closer to getting in your pants."

_"Negan."_

**___**

The ride home was exhausting. Unloading everything was exhausting. Going to dinner was exhausting. Blaine gave her a proper hello once they unpacked everything, explaining that he wasn't sure how Negan would react and wanted to try and stay on his good side for the time being. She had yet to see Jackson, Phoebe, and Starr who must be working in the back today. 

Riley had fallen asleep at the table; arm laying in her peas and taking small, deep breaths. Avriel had eaten right before they got back, and had given her a tight hug and held her for a good ten minutes before even thinking about releasing her. She was sitting alone, like normal, but ended up falling asleep before she could even taste the meal. 

When she was shaken awake, she grumbled and opened an eye, seeing Simon standing over her with a smile. "Hey, cutie."

Riley sat up, giving him a disoriented look before yawning, "Uhm, hi?"

"Boss wants to see you when you're finished," he said, waving a finger around her plate. Riley lifted her arm, watching as a few mushed peas either stuck to her arm or fell onto the floor. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, and she wiped her skin with a napkin before nodding, looking up at him. "Okay, thank you."

".. You good? I've never liked Thomas, he's always been a dick."

"Yeah, I'm fine.. It's happened before, it's no big deal."

"Nah. If it happens again you tell me or Dwight.. Preferably me, because that is fucking gross and you're just a kid."

She smiled a little, nodding, "Okay, I promise."

"Good. I'll catch you later."

"Bye, Simon."

After he left, she ate her now cold meal in silence, pondering his words. If someone had told her that Dwight, or let alone Simon would be nice to her, she'd laugh in their face and call them crazy. It was nice to know that others had her back, as Blaine could only be around so much and Negan, well.. She was still confused with his intentions, but she'd dwell on that later.

After she turned in her tray, she made the trek up to Negan's room, trying to count how many times she made this trip since her first visit to the Sanctuary. Curfew wasn't for another hour or so, and she had been wondering how long this would take, whatever it was. She'd kill for a shower and be able to crawl into bed to prepare for her early shift on patrol tomorrow.

The hallway was quiet, much to her disappointment. There was something about hearing the music one of the wives was playing that soothed her mind; whether it was Metallica or John Legend, it calmed her down and she could focus her mind on whatever Negan would be asking of her.

She approached Negan's door, raising her hand to knock before pausing. She could hear the faint sound of music coming from the other side, and she leaned in close in an attempt to make it out.  _He must have finally invested in a radio._

Riley immediately recognized the unmistakable voice of Stevie Wonder. She smiled, listening to the melody before finally knocking, making it a little louder so he'd actually hear. 

A few seconds passed before the door swung open, revealing a worn down, pajama clad Negan. He was wearing sweatpants and a shirt, and his hair was wet from just taking a shower. He grinned at her, his eyes trailing her up and down before meeting her eyes. "As much as you're in here, kid, I might as well give you a key."

"If you keep calling me up here you might have to.." she replied, coming in once he moved aside, allowing her entry. He shut the door behind her, and the song changed to one of her personal favorites,  _Superstition_. She saw a small, simple record player sitting on a counter space next to a pretty impressive stack of vinyl's. "Damn, where did those come from?"

Negan grinned, going over to said player before lowering the volume until it was just background noise. "Some poor soul's house at Alexandria had a nice little collection. The damn place was abandoned; dust everywhere and 'ole Rick told me the owners died.. So, I took their shit."

"Wow, you're such a gentleman." Riley said, taking a seat in one of his chairs. 

"Ah, they weren't using it. Like I said, the place was unoccupied. I bet they're going to renovate it now."

Riley nodded, kicking off her boots before bringing her legs up, getting comfortable. "I'm not in a hurry or anything, but did you need something?"

Negan flipped off the music, turning to look at her with a stern expression. "Yeah, actually.. I'm going to ask this once, so answer it truthfully and I don't want a hint of hesitation when you do. Got it?"

Riley sighed, already knowing this wasn't going to be good. "I can't promise that."

"Well, you better fucking try."

She shook her head, rubbing her forehead with her palm before looking up at him as he came and sat on the couch, stretching out with a pleased sigh. He grinned at her, before pointing to her boots, "Making yourself at home?"

She shrugged, biting her lip, "Does that bug you?"

"Absolutely fucking not."

She grinned, "Good."

"Back to business," Negan said, clapping his hands together and causing her to jump. "Now listen carefully, okay? I may or may not listen to you, but I can use some fucking input here and who better to ask than you?"

She blinked, unsure of how to answer that. "Uhm.."

"That's not the question. What I need to know is this.. What do you want me to do about Thomas?"

Riley frowned, looking at Negan as if he just grew two heads. "Wait, what?"

"Thomas. The pile of shit that harassed you this morning. What do you want me to do? Kill him? The iron? Cut off a hand, what?"

"You're the leader here, Negan. Not me-"

"Yes, but you're the victim here, _Riley,_  not me. If I had my way I'd kill the bastard, but if you think you'll be alright with letting him go, then so be it."

Riley shook her head, her blonde hair nicely framing her face. He stared. "I can't decide something like that, Negan.."

"Yes you can, and you fucking will!"

"Why are you letting me decide?"

He scoffed, "I just fucking told you the reason. You're the vict-"

"Not that reason. The  _real_  reason."

Negan faltered for a moment, before sighing and bringing a hand up to rub his face. He had this conversation many times in his head; she'd tell him to kill the fucker and he'd happily oblige. But now that it was actually happening, he found it was stressing him out and he was at a loss for words. 

"Negan?"

"If you really must know, kid, I want you to feel safe."

Riley frowned, "What's so wrong with that?"

Negan shrugged, "I just.. Never care for others that much."

"What about your wives?"

Negan scoffed, giving a laugh that was anything but amused, "My wives? They're all just nice pieces of ass. If something happens to them, I'm sad for a few hours but I get over it.. I heard that dumb motherfucker talking to you like that and.." he stopped, sighing deeply and running his fingers across his forehead, closing his eyes. "I should have ended him right then and there."

"T-then just kill him."

Negan opened his eyes, observing her quietly and the tension between the two was bubbling like crazy and it made her squirm uncomfortably under his gaze. His expression was completely serious and it just added onto the tension she was already feeling by just sitting a mere few feet away. 

"You really want me to do that?" he asked, his voice low.

Riley stared at him, meeting his eyes and when she slowly nodded, he grinned.

___

Negan had changed into his normal attire, grabbing Lucille and leading Riley downstairs and into the courtyard. She followed him obediently, not making a sound and he had to peek at her a few times to make sure she was still there. He grinned, throwing his arm over her shoulder as he led her to the tombs, already expecting Simon and the others to be there. 

"You gotta promise me you're not going to fucking pass out."

"I watched you bash in two heads the other night," Riley said, looking up at him as they approached the door. "I think I can handle another."

"If so, I'll have to give you a damn cookie."

They entered the tombs; Riley shivering when the cold draft blasted her in the face, soaking through Negan's shirt and she regretted not asking to stop by her room and grab her hoodie. Negan noticed, and paused halfway down the hall where he could hear the voices of his men and the panicked fucker who was about to meet his fucking end. 

"You're shivering, sweetheart," he said, handing her Lucille so he could wiggle out of his leather jacket, taking his bat from her and tucking it under his arm while he draped it over her shoulders, grinning when she slyly slipped her arms through the oversized sleeves. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you." 

"Good. Now let's take care of this piece of shit."

When they turned the corner, they found that Thomas was handcuffed and forced on his knees, just as Simon and the others obediently kneeled at the sight of Negan. Riley was so focused on Thomas that she didn't even think to do the same, though Negan wasn't worried about that and let it slide, instead peeking at her face to find her completely focused on the prisoner. He smirked, before nodding for them to stand up. Simon did, simultaneously holding Thomas down by the head, much like what he did to Riley a few days before. 

"It's judgement day, prick," Negan said, grinning at Thomas and smiling bigger when the man began to visibly shake. "My girl and I decided to just kill you; no sense in keeping a lowlife motherfucker like you around."

Thomas began to protest, yelling in pain when Simon pushed on his head so hard that it could have broken his neck in two seconds flat. Riley only watched, uninterested in the hissy fit this guy was pulling but what was about to come would give her the piece of mind she wanted. 

"Let's move him outside, we'll put him on the fence for a few days, though his head won't be nothing but mush. Maybe he'll keep the crows away."

They went outside. Riley stayed by Negan, relishing in the warmth of his jacket and looking up at him to see him watching every move Thomas made; whether it was kneeling or trying to escape, he eventually quit and started to accept the fact that he was fucked and there is no way to get out of this.

"This could have all been avoided if you just kept your stupid fucking mouth shut!" Negan said, yelling at the man who had started mumbling something in what Riley knew was French. She frowned, trying to remember what she had learned back in elementary school when French was a required class, but ended up coming up with nothing.

"Say your prayers, buddy. God knows they can't help you now."

**CRACK**

Riley looked up, seeing Negan deliver the first hit to Thomas' skull. Blood instantly ran down his face; his mouth open as he screamed in pain, making Riley flinch but not drop her gaze.

"Shut your fucking  _mouth,"_ Negan growled, becoming angrier. "God, I should just kill you for being so fucking annoying!"

His eyes slid to Riley who looked at him; soft eyes meeting his hard ones. He smirked, before looking down at the man who was suffering by just one blow to the head.

"Well..  _This_  is more important than that."

**CRACK**

Another blow to the head, and this time the yelling stopped as Thomas slumped forward, either knocked out or dead. Negan laughed manically, before delivering six more blows to the guys head that was now complete mush.

**CRACK**

**CRACK**

**CRACK**

Riley counted eleven hits when he finally stepped back and observed the body.

".. That is gross as  _shit."_ he said, before grinning, using a bloody Lucille to point at the bloody, gory mess, "Have someone clean this shit up. I gotta go upstairs and clean my dirty girl."

Negan looked at Riley, watching her watch Thomas who was being roughly pulled up from his spot in the concrete. "And maybe I'll tweak the other one, too."


	13. 12.

**KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.**

Jackson stirred in his bed, looking at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It was just after eleven and whoever was outside was past curfew. He grumbled, getting up and not bothering to throw on a shirt while he went to answer it.

Starr stared back at him, and before he could say anything she brushed past him, leaving him speechless. "We need to talk."

"It's past curfew!" Jackson hissed, shutting the door and clicking the lock. He knew it wouldn't stop any of Negan's men if they found out, but a normal person wouldn't try breaking and entering.. It was just stupid. 

"I don't care, it's important." she breathed, turning to face him. "I just left Blaine's room.. We think Negan has the hots for Riley."

Jackson blinked; staring at her in disbelief before he threw his head back and laughed, gasping when Starr clamped a hand over his mouth to shush him. "Shh! I can't get caught."

"You have _got_  to be joking." Jackson said, looking at her as if she just grew two heads. "Negan is..  _Negan_ , there is no way in hell."

Starlett raised her eyebrows, "And what is that supposed to mean?"

His smile quickly fell. "N-nothing, I just.. She's too good for him."

"Believe me, we know that.. Riley can't like him back, that's impossible."

"Then what's the problem?" Jackson asked, sitting on the edge of his bed. He was lucky enough to have a single bedroom, and he was happy that a roommate wasn't nearby, hearing all of this. 

"We just.. This guy is a nutcase. Who bashes in heads for the fun of it?"

Jackson frowned, "Look, I'm not saying I condone that, but.. I don't really think it's meant to be  _fun."_

"Maybe not, but he freaking loves it. He's always smiling, cracking jokes.. Who does that?"

"I'm not worried, and neither should you." Jackson said, shrugging. He wasn't awake enough to have this conversation. 

"You don't know Riley like I do. She's not an idiot, but according to Blaine she doesn't really ward off his advances."

"Advances? What, does he flirt with her?"

"In ways, yes. He calls her 'sweetheart', and 'kid', and 'princess'-"

_"Princess?"_

"Yeah, that's a new name to add to the barrel of all the others."

Jackson laughed without humor, "Oh boy."

"Tell me about it."

"You know, you should really leave before night patrol comes around.."

Starr sighed, giving him a look, "So you're not going to help?"

"No, I'm not. I'm not worried and neither should you."

She grumbled something, before turning and heading for the door. "Fine, be that way."

When she left, Jackson sighed, running his hands over his face before laying back.

_Just two friends being overprotective._

_____

Rileywatched as Negan cleaned Lucille, lovingly wiping her with a damp towel and allowing her barbed wire to hang and dry. There was something oddly sensual about his actions, and Riley sighed, looking down at his jacket that she had yet to take off.

"You jealous there, kid?" Negan asked, bringing his eyes up to meet hers. Riley's cheeks flushed; looking down at her lap when he grinned, giving her a soft wink. 

"Not at all."

"Because if roles were reversed, well, I'd have a lot to say about it."

Riley smiled, "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me."

"Lucille, here?.. She agrees."

Riley swallowed, pondering what she should say next. Negan looked excited, watching her with bright eyes and they only got brighter when she said, "That's a compliment if I've ever heard one."

_Great work, Riley. Feed his already bulging ego._

"It's been a few days since I've gotten laid," he said, licking his lips and ignoring her quit sniffle, "Want to change that or do I have to get one of my wives?"

Negan was pleased that she actually seemed to ponder his question, and his cleaning of Lucille soon became a distraction and he decided that she was clean enough. He stood up, moving to place her where she belonged before grasping her wire with the tips of his fingers, going to hang it from the hook that belonged to the curtain. He'd reassemble her again in the morning. 

"I-I don't think that's a good idea.."

"And why is that?" he asked, approaching her chair from behind and purposely leaning over her, giving her a dimpled smile when she looked up at him. He could see that she was fighting with herself, and it only stirred him on to further tease her. "You afraid I'll be too rough? I can be a snowflake, sweetheart."

Riley chuckled a little, shaking her head, "No, that's not it."

"I must not be your type, then."

_Silence._

Negan grinned, "Really, kid? That's a blow to my goddamn ego."

".. You  _are_  my type."

"I have never been so happy to hear that in my whole fucking life!" he said, causing her to jump before he walked around her chair, this time standing in front of her. "Have I passed the fucking test yet, Riley?"

"Doing that will just complicate things, Negan.." she whispered. 

It was then that he finally understood. 

"Ahh, I see.. You're into all that vanilla shit, aren't you?"

Riley hesitated, looking up at him with nervous eyes before nodding. 

"That's a shame, kid."

"Tell me about it." she whispered.

"What would it take, sweetheart?"

Riley chewed on her lip, looking down at her lap and after a few minutes of awkward silence between them Negan sighed, looking at the clock.  _11:44._

When he turned back around, he was slightly startled to find her now standing, shrugging out of his jacket. He blindly took it from her, watching as her brown eyes darted from his hands to his face all in a matter of seconds. "If you want me, I need your all. Not just half of you, or some of you.. I need  _you._ And I know you won't give me that, Negan. And I'm not asking you to."

Negan stayed quiet, lowering his hand and watching her in silence when she shrugged, looking up at him as if she had nothing more to say. "That's just how it is, Negan. I'm sorry.. I'm going home, I'm tired and I need sleep."

As she left, Negan sighed deeply, tilting his head to where he was looking up at the ceiling.  _Fucking motherfucking shit fuck._

Of course she was vanilla. Of fucking  _course_ she wanted all that lovey dovey romantic shit.. He only ever had that with Lucille.

_Yeah, look what happened._

_If you leave your wives, you can have her.. Dump them on their asses and have them fend for themselves, show them a life of work. They need to learn how to fucking survive in this shitty world._

No, he couldn't do that. Stakes were high, and more than half of his girls were with him for a reason. Medicine, struggling family members, whatever it was, they relied on him. He relied on them for sex and attention and all they expected in return was for him to give them what they needed and be done with it.

That's all there is to it.

___

"Thomas is dead."

Riley looked up, watching as Blaine sunk down next to her on the bench right outside of the garage. It was mid-afternoon and she was waiting for Avi to come out so they could eat together. She nodded, looking down at her Desert Eagle. "Yeah, I've heard."

"It's kind of a relief," he said, nodding his head. "He might not have bothered you again, but at least he can't do it to anyone else."

Riley stayed silent; flashes of Thomas' smashed head flashing vividly in her mind. She had yet to see Negan, and after their conversation the night before, that was okay with her. 

".. You alright?"

Riley chuckled without humor, "It seems everyone's asking that nowadays." 

He shrugged, looking down at her, "We just want you to be happy."

"This is the most well off we've been since the beginning.."

"That's not what I meant."

Riley sighed, already knowing what he meant but she didn't want to dwell on it. All she wanted to do was go eat lunch with Avi and finish the rest of her shift so she could visit the library and curl up with a book. 

"Can we talk about this another time, please?"

Blaine sighed, eventually nodding his head and standing up, looking down at her. "It's time to start my shift. Wanna catch dinner later? The others are coming."

Riley genuinely smiled, "Of course."

**___**

A few days later, Riley, Jackson, and Phoebe were outside, tending to the garden. The temperature had dropped drastically the night before, and some of the crops had died when the frost covered them. It wasn't even September yet, yet the nights were getting colder and the Summer crops would soon be changed to Autumn vegetables. As Riley loved salads, she was excited to hear they'd start planting carrots, and lettuce, and spinach, etc. Jackson had promised that they'd try and continue to grow strawberries, but it may prove difficult. The simple thought made Riley blush. 

The trio was technically off for the day, but the head of kitchen promised to award them 'community service' points if they helped clean up the dead crops and dispose of them while the on duty staff planted new ones. Riley's mom had always requested her help with gardening when she was in high school, so doing this now brought back memories and caused her to be quiet and deep in thought.

"I'm so not looking forward to Winter," Phoebe commented, scrunching her nose when she pulled out a mushy potato plant. "It seems electric has nothing but trouble keeping the heaters up and running. So many people end up freezing to death."

"Yeah, but that's mostly on the first floor," Jackson said, grinning when he flicked a leaf at Riley, who jumped when it bounced off her forehead. She grinned, tossing a tiny pebble at him. "I don't quite think they care for them that much."

"How many people froze last year?" Riley asked, groaning when one of the male workers slipped in the mud, causing mud to fly up and stick to her glasses. 

"I think the official count was thirty-two, though I could be off."

"That really sucks."

"You got that right."

When they were done, the trio took a little walk around Sanctuary. The sun was shining and the wind had slowly begun picking up speed, which was inconvenient for the girls as their long hair was losing the battle. Even Jackson's hair was ruffled, though it didn't bug him as much as he was amused by the girls yelling obscenities every time a gust of wind blew. 

They had just rounded the corner to see Negan and a group of guys unloading a truck. They paused, unsure if they should turn around and go the way they came or just continue on and hope they don't get yelled at. Jackson whispered, "Should we turn around?"

"Yeah, let's go."

They were halfway down the opposite direction when the sound of a semi-automatic firing disturbed the peace around them. 

Riley whirled, ignoring the panicked looks on Jackson and Phoebe's face before looking at them, "You guys go, I have to-" she didn't even finish the sentence, turning and running in the direction of Negan and the guys. They called out for her, but she ignored them, going full speed to the clearing they had just stood in minutes ago. 

"Kid, I ain't gonna lie  _you scare the shit_  outta me."

Riley crouched down, grabbing onto the yellow bollard, peeking around the corner. It was a little difficult to see, but the unmistakable figure of someone standing in the truck with a gun pointed at another was easy to pinpoint. Even standing up straight, it was a little difficult for her to see considering she was shorter than the men standing around in a circle. 

She stayed down, watching as the circle of men eventually parted and it was revealed to be the kid from Alexandria. Riley knew he was Rick's son, but she wasn't entirely clear on his name, though something told her it was Carl. He was picked up by Negan who was smiling widely and looked too amused for his own good. He wasn't talking as loudly, so it was harder for her to make out what was being said. 

The group departed and Negan led Carl inside. When the coast was clear, Riley shot out from her hiding spot, running right past the puddles of blood and into the building; wrenching open the door to reveal an empty hall. Riley hadn't been through this part of the factory, and it was a pain in the ass trying to figure out if they went up the flight of stairs or just walked straight on down. 

It was then that Dwight appeared; looking impassive and he paused at the sight of her, raising his eyebrow, "Do you need something?"

"D-did you see where Negan went?"

"I don't think you should.."

"Dwight."

"You might get into trouble.."

_"Dwight."_

He sighed, shaking his head before pointing up the stairs, "They went that way."

She thanked him, wasting no time in hurtling up the steps and making a break down the catwalk. The further down she got, the more she realized that she was heading straight for the part of the factory she had stood in with Negan the night he let her out of the cell. 

It took her forever to finally catch up. She was in the stairwell when they suddenly appeared; Carl pale in the face and his eyes were slightly puffy. Negan seemed taken aback by the sight of her, but it eventually melted away and was instead replaced with a grin. "Why  _hello_  there."

Riley didn't say anything, instead watching Carl who, surprisingly, wasn't glaring at her. He looked mortified, while at the same time upset and she could only imagine what it was he saw. 

"You have something to say there, sweetheart? If not, Carl and I here have some business to attend to."

She wanted to ask what was going on, why Carl looked upset, and why someone fired a gun, but she didn't. Instead she shook her head, weakly pointing upwards, "N-no, I was just going to my room."

"Is that so?" Negan asked, still grinning. She nodded.

"Well, kid, unless you're moving in with me you're on the wrong floor."

Riley looked at the door, just to see they were, indeed, on floor six. She swallowed, slowly looking at Negan who only continued to smile at her. "I-I.. I'll just be going now."

She turned, hurrying down the steps and onto her floor, sighing when the booming laughter of Negan rang in her ears.

_"There'sa meeting in ten minutes, everyone has to go!"_

Riley sighed, closing her book. After running into Carl and Negan, she decided to lay low and instead sit outside with a book, hoping they'd walk by and she could just spy on them from there. They didn't, however, and she just shrugged it off and read for a good ten or so minutes before being interrupted by Robert who was walking through the compound and yelling the same message every thirty seconds.

When it was time, Riley had tucked the book under her arm and went to the main part of the factory. She always avoided this area, as it was so dark and dreary that it just depressed her. But because of it's size, Negan always called community meetings here and it seemed there was at least three or four a week. Riley never knew what to expect when he called everyone together, but the sight of Dwight heating up the iron and a young man tied to a chair gave her a pretty damn good idea. 

Riley kept a look out, hoping to see someone she actually liked so she could stand by them. It was always odd for her to be in such a big room full of people and be a stand alone observer while most cluttered with their friends or family. The last meeting was the day Negan made her kneel, and she could feel eyes on her, which made her anxiety skyrocket.

"Riley!"

She turned, relieved to see Starlett. She smiled a little, moving towards her friend who had just walked in. She had a tiny bit of flour on her nose and Riley grinned, using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe it off. "Hi."

"Do you know what this is about?" Starr whispered, grabbing Riley's hand and moving them towards the back. 

"I have no idea, but someone broke the rules." she whispered, nodding at Dwight who was staring blankly into the fire. Starr visibly paled, and Riley sighed gently, patting her arm. 

When everyone was gathered around, Riley stood close to Avi, who was wearing oversized overalls and was covered in oil. Avriel knew that his sister wasn't the main attraction this time, but he still remained protective and was prepared to whisk her out of there if things went haywire. 

Negan appeared with Carl, and the boy shared a frightened look with Daryl who was acting as a janitor, leaning against a mop. Riley watched him for a few seconds before turning her attention to Negan who began to speak to the crowd. 

"As all of you know, I have a very,  _very_  simple rule system put in place here-"

She closed her eyes; visions of Thomas once again flashing through her mind. She didn't know what this meant, and it was terrifying to think that she couldn't seem to shake the thought of condoning killing a man with the harsh brutality of Lucille. 

"Rules are what keep this world going. It's what keeps the system running smoothly, and they are meant to be taken seriously. Before, when there weren't fucking dead guys walking around, we had rules, and you _all_  followed them-"

Riley opened her eyes, instantly finding the young man who was shaking and sweating with fear. Off to the side, she saw Sherry and a pretty, long haired blonde who was crying and hiding her face. Riley tilted her head, observing quietly and she realized it was the same girl who she had interrupted a few weeks ago when Negan was..  _Bleh._

"I don't understand why some of you can't just _follow the fucking rules!_ Is it really that goddamn hard!?" Negan yelled, causing everyone to startle at the sudden booming voice of their leader. "It was so damn easy before.."

He stopped, looking down at the man who was refusing to look him in the eye. Negan slowly grinned, before leaning down, "Mark, this all could have been avoided if you would have just kept it in your goddamn pants!"

Riley frowned, peeking up at Avi who was just watching with a stone cold expression. His gaze broke from Negan and instead looked to her, where his face immediately softened and he gently touched her hand.

"I do not fucking appreciate you abandoning your duties.  _Especially_ not to go and screw someone who no longer belongs to you!"

Then it clicked.

Riley watched as Negan ordered Dwight to bring the iron. Dwight grabbed the same metal pole, attaching the iron to it while Negan slid on a black oven mitt that went up to his mid-arm. Mark began to freak out; trying to break free of his restraints while Amber sobbed into Sherry's chest, trying her best not to watch but it seemed to be easier said than done.

"Watch closely, people. Maybe it'll make you think twice about screwing with one of my wives."

And with that being said, he pressed the iron to the left side of Mark's face.

His horrifying screams made Riley's blood run cold. It echoed off the walls, making her flinch and her hand that was gently touching Avi's grabbed it instead, squeezing it extremely tight. Blaine swayed in his spot, causing Starr to latch onto his arm in attempt to keep him from keeling over.

_That could have been you if you didn't say his fucking name._

It was probably on his skin for no longer than thirty seconds, but it was so hot that when Negan pulled it away, his skin easily peeled off like glue. The screaming stopped, as he had passed out and Negan chuckled, gently stomping his foot. "He just pissed himself.. What a fucking pussy."

He dropped the iron, turning to address Daryl who was frozen, watching quietly. "Clean up this mess, or you'll be next." he said, grinning when Daryl immediately started wiping up Mark's urine. "Carson, work your magic and tend to the kid."

Negan left with Carl, leaving everyone to think about what they had just witnessed. 

**___**

"That could have been me."

Riley laid on Jackson's bed, staring up at the ceiling while Jackson sorted through his clothes, separating the clean from the dirty. Laundry day was tomorrow and he had an early shift  and wouldn't be there when they came and collected it. "But it wasn't, Ri."

"I know, but.. I was  _so close."_

"Hey.. You're okay now. There's no way you're going to end up in that situation again. You're a good citizen who does as she's told."

Riley smiled a little, "Yeah, but I could have easily been Mark when I first got here.. I gave Negan so much shit. I'm surprised he didn't cut off my tongue I gave him so much sass."

"You were new.. If there's anything I've learned, it's that Negan isn't as hard on the newcomers unless they give him a reason to totally hate their guts. But, in your case, it seems that has stuck."

"I wish you guys would stop saying that." Riley groaned.

"We're only going by what we see, Riley."

"Yeah, but all of you have been badgering me. There's nothing going on between Negan and I, we're just.. Friends?"

"I've hardly said anything!" Jackson defended himself, finally sorting his last shirt before placing the basket next to the bathroom door. "I know everyone else is worried, but I've tried talking them out of it."

"Can you try harder then? For me?"

Jackson chuckled, moving to sit in the arm chair he had placed in the corner of his room. The sun was just now setting, giving the room a nice, faint glow. "Of course."

Riley smiled, sitting up and looking around the room. "It must be really nice, having a room to yourself."

Jackson smiled, watching as she started looking at all of the drawings he had hung on his wall. "Yeah, it is."

".. These are really good," she said, turning to look at him. "I wish I could draw like this."

"I learned from my dad," he said, standing up and coming over to stand beside her. "I only draw when I need to clear my head." 

His drawings were all in pencil; most of them being simple things like the moon, a bird, the sun, a few things she wasn't familiar with and last but not least, a little girl.

Riley frowned, gently touching the drawing of the kid, "Who?.."

Jackson swallowed, looking down at her where his blond hair gently fell in front of his eyes. "That's my baby sister."

Riley frowned, remembering the first day they talked and had breakfast he had mentioned an older sister, but not a younger one. He looked at the photo, gently smiling before continuing, "My family died from the illness when it first started. It was me and her for a few weeks, but she ended up getting sick and I tried everything I possibly could to help her with whatever medicine we had, even though I knew it wouldn't work."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, looking up at him when he looked down at her. "What was her name?"

"Ava.. Her name was Ava and she was six when she died."

Riley nodded, wrapping her arms around him.

Riley left not long after, noticing that he was tired and even though he denied it, she insisted she had other things to do and that she'd see him tomorrow. She went to her room, opening the door to find Bailey sleeping on her bed. The dog perked up, wiggling her tail excitedly before hopping off the bed when Riley shut the door. 

"Hey, Bailey," Riley said, kneeling down, smiling when Bailey licked her cheek. "Where's Blaine, hmm?"

Bailey rolled around, letting her belly get scratched for a minute or so before Riley stood up, gathering her pajamas and toiletries to take a shower. Bailey had moved to Blaine's bed, laying down and Riley quietly waved before leaving and heading to the locker room.

It was partially full, and she went to her locker, opening it and setting her clothes inside. Starlett was a few lockers over, changing and when she saw Riley she grinned, "Where've you been?"

"I was with Jackson."

Starr grinned, shrugging on her pajama shirt. "Don't mention this to Blaine, but he's really cute. If he wasn't my friend I'd say hot, but that's weird, even for me."

"We're friends, too." Riley said, taking off her shirt. She had grown more comfortable around the girls, as most of them were friendly and when they weren't engaging her in conversation they were keeping to themselves. She looked for a towel. "But you're right, he's cute."

Starr grinned, not saying anything and instead finishing putting on her pajamas. Riley took off her jeans, before wrapping her towel around her figure and wiggling out of her panties and bra, keeping herself hidden to the best of her ability.. Some things just couldn't be helped. 

"Want me to wait up?"

Riley shook her head, grabbing her basket of toiletries. "No, it's okay. I might be a while."

While in the shower, she thought about the look on Carl's face when Negan gave Mark the iron. His eye became so huge that she thought it might pop out of his skull. She didn't know why he wore the eyepatch, but she secretly hoped it was just a simple wound and not.. Missing an eye.

As far as she knew, Negan and a few others went on a journey back to Alexandria to take Carl home. They had been gone for a few hours now, and she could only hope that the kid was delivered safely to Rick. Riley was conflicted, as she didn't want to care for the group who so carelessly slaughtered that outpost, but there was something about that night that never left her. 

She heard rumors that the short-haired woman, Maggie, was actually pregnant with the Asian man's baby, and she had died not long after Negan left them to their own devices.. And Rosita was involved with the redhead at one point, making her angry at the world but there had to be something deeper than that. If something that brutal ever happened to Riley's significant other, she'd be angry too. 

Unknown to Riley, things were heating up at Alexandria and Negan was on an angry rampage. 

___

"Pssst..  _Hey."_

Riley stirred in bed, peeking at whoever decided to interrupt her peaceful sleep. It was Avi, and she sat up, eyes wide, "You're not supposed to be in here!"

"I know, I know.." he said, kneeling beside her bed. She could hear Blaine snoring in his bed on the other side of the wall. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"How'd you even get in?" she asked, barely able to make his face out in the dark. 

Avi held something between his fingers, and she instantly recognized it as a hair pin. "They had some in commissary, you can have the rest if you want."

"Thanks," she said dryly, before glaring, "You're going to get in trouble. Didn't you see what just happened today?"

"Yeah, I know. You're not still thinking about it, are you?"

Riley shook her head, "Not really, no."

"Good, good.."

".. I just think about Negan threatening me with it."

Avi's face fell, and he sighed, nodding his head. "I've been thinking a lot about that too."

"Jackson told me not to.. He said I'm a good person and Negan wouldn't do that.. Do you believe him?"

"He's been here longer.. Knows Negan more than we do, but I can't really say, pumpkin."

Riley stayed quiet, not saying what she really wanted to.  _More than you do, maybe.._

"You should go," Riley whispered. "I don't want you being in that chair next."

Avriel nodded; not wanting to leave just yet but he knew she was right. Even if he wasn't going to be the next victim, he didn't want to go back in the cell. God only knows how long he'd be in there for skipping curfew. "Fine.. Lunch tomorrow?"

Riley nodded, smiling a little when he gently kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too."

**___**

_"You shaved?"_

Negan grinned. "You like it, kid?"

Riley blinked, observing every line in his face and zoning in on his dimples. "I-I really liked the beard.."

Negan shrugged, swinging Lucille until she was right in front of Riley's face. "Lucille's beautiful surface isn't the same. I shaved before that stupid girl  _Rosita_ attempted to kill me.. My girl took the hit instead." 

"Then why is he here?" she asked, pointing to Eugene who was anxiously holding a jar of pickles a good few feet away. "Where is she?"

"I left her back at Alexandria.. Has a pretty little scar on her face, but she's so  _badass_  that she did it to herself. This one here claims to have made the bullet.. Gotta find that shit out."

Riley frowned, looking down at his feet. "I'm happy you didn't die."

Negan grinned, gently bringing a hand up to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "I'll take that as a compliment, sweetheart.. You gonna stay and watch, or are you busy?"

"I'm on patrol.."

Negan looked disappointed, but he nodded, "Don't let me keep you." He said, backing away before heading over to Eugene who looked absolutely petrified. Riley hesitated, before calling out, "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Negan paused, turning to look at her. Laura and a few others gave her an odd look, and she only scrunched her nose up in distaste, ignoring them. He smirked, swinging Lucille, "Aren't you just dying to know?"

Riley watched him quietly, before nodding. "Yes."

"I knew it.. Come up later, kid. I'll give you the whole lowdown."

He then turned, finishing his trek to the others and Riley watched for a few seconds before turning and walking the way she came.

_Dude, Negan was shot at today. He could be_ **_dead_ ** _right now._

Riley ran her hands over her face, unable to believe that the man who made her feel weird things could be laying dead somewhere.. It made her want to kick something. So many things happening in the past few days, and it was too much to handle all at once. One of her escapes had always been reading, but lately she was finding it hard to concentrate on the text and instead was forced to read the same page over and over before eventually giving up.

She walked through the courtyard, waving to a few of the girls who were watering the garden. The huge analog clock on the outside wall showed it was just after four.. Everyone was working, all but one.

Riley straightened up, turning and walking towards the housing part of the factory. She needed to find Jackson.

She went up to his room, pounding on the door. Riley didn't know if he was even in there, but she had to hope, right?

After a few seconds he opened the door. He looked happy to see her, and he gave her a big smile, "Hey, what's up?"

She stared at him for a few moments, before taking a look around. The halls were empty and he gave her a confused look, before she abruptly pushed him back into his room. Jackson looked shocked, quickly shutting the door before his hands fell to her waist, not at all protesting when her lips fell onto his. 

He accepted it; letting her do it for a minute before gently pushing her away, keeping his hands where they were. "What are you doing?"

Riley stared up at him, and the look in her eyes actually made his insides melt. "D-do you have a girlfriend I don't know about?"

Jackson chuckled a little, shaking his head, "No, of course not."

"Do you not want to do this with me?"

Jackson tightened his grip on her, giving her a sincere nod. "Of course.. Y-you're a great person, and you're beautiful, but-"

"But?"

Jackson closed his eyes, looking down and unintentionally moving their foreheads closer together. He was maybe an inch shorter than Negan, but the height difference between Riley and him was almost the same. As much as he denied it, he knew there was a little something going on between her and Negan. He was always low on Negan's radar, but the idea of him finding out about this was enough to kick her out. _As nicely as possible, of course._

_You're also attracted to her, don't forget that important detail._

When he opened his eyes, he was met with her gaze and he gave her a shy smile, before pushing her up against his door, clicking the lock. "Nothing."

Riley pulled him closer, kissing him and it had become so foreign to her over the past two years that she forgot how amazing it really was.

_Negan has his wives.. He'll be fine._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || hope you guys don't hate me too much


	14. 13.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to point out now that any plots in the show will be more drawn out here, so Daryl and Sherry escaping, Carson being roasted, Rosita and Sasha sneaking in, those events will happen but at different times more appropriate for the plot!

******NEGAN WAITED.**

And waited.

And  _waited._

He was never a patient man, so imagine his frustration when eight o'clock turned to nine, nine turned to ten, and ten turned to eleven. He had left Dr. Smartypants with a few of his wives, before coming up to his room to wait for Riley to show up. He had even showered and asked Dwight to find some of the sparkling juice they had found a few weeks ago for the kids. Negan recalled Riley telling him she didn't like alcohol.. It left a bad taste in her mouth, but she liked that fancy juice in a bottle.

_Maybe she fell asleep, it happens._

Negan sighed, finally flipping off the light before crawling into bed. After the absolutely fucked day he had, he admittedly hoped that she'd bring at least a little light to all of the dark shit that's happened since he woke up this morning.  Carl killing two of his guys, that shit with Mark and Amber, him getting shot at and Lucille taking the bullet for him.

_Being stood up by that kid._

He was laying there for a while before a soft knock about made him jump out of his skin.

_Jesus, don't be a pussy._

Negan debated not answering the door, as it was late and he knew that if it were an emergency they'd radio him in. He decided against it, heaving himself off the bed and flipping on the lamp before going to the door, not expecting  _her_  to be waiting outside.

Riley looked anxious. Her small hands in front of her; wringing in circles and gently biting down on her bottom lip. Negan stared; unamused and fighting hard not to start screaming at her. Instead, he took in a deep breath, attempting to kindly smile at her. "You're a little late there, kid."

Riley sighed, "You didn't even specify a time.. I fell asleep." she said, lowering her eyes and the action caused him to raise his eyebrows. 

_I mean.. she has a point._

"I'm tired," Negan said, "Someone better be dead or dying for you to be bugging me at this hour."

Riley didn't seem surprised, and it only bothered him because she already expected this, but he liked to be the kind of person who was deemed unpredictable in all aspects and the fact that someone possibly had him figured out was irritating. "Okay, fine. I'll see you later."

When she turned and walked away, he sighed deeply, before walking out into the hallway. "Come back here, Riley."

When she came back, she only gave him a smug smile before coming into his room. He had already put everything away, but decided to save it for next time. She sat on his bed, sitting pretzel style and Negan could tell something was off. He shut the door, clicking the lock before stuffing his hands in the pockets of his pajama pants. 

Riley tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, nervously looking down at her lap. Negan stayed quiet, waiting for her to speak first.

"I know we.. kind of talked about this already.." she began, smiling a little though he was sure it was just to delude him into thinking she wasn't nervous. ".. I really don't know how I'm supposed to say this."

"You might as well say it. There's no point in hiding, I'll find out eventually."

Riley sighed.  _Just tell him. He won't hurt Jackson, he can't..  That's unfair, you're not Negan's property. He has like eight wives, maybe more and he doesn't want you enough to get rid of them._

"I hope you don't make me regret telling you."

Negan smirked, running a hand over his face before nodding, "I can't make any promises, sweetheart."

"I'm kind of involved with somebody else."

Negan's eyebrows shot up; looking at her as if he didn't hear a word that came out of her mouth. "Could you repeat that?"

She took a deep breath, hesitantly bringing her eyes up to meet his. "I'm involved with somebody else."

Negan stared at her, before a deep chuckle bubbled in his chest. It filled the room, making her swallow at how calm he looked, but it was that laugh that usually meant you fucked up big time. "I can't say I'm surprised."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you think it means, Riley. Now can I go to bed or are you going to brag about your new boyfriend?"

Riley stood up, glaring at him. "Do you know how juvenile you sound right now?"

"Call me all of the big kid names you want, I don't care."

She crossed her arms, looking up at him, "Why do you always act like you don't care about anything?"

Negan stared at her, before shrugging, "It's because I don't."

Riley's lips twitched downwards, but she held her ground and continued on, "I see I've made the right choice, then."

Negan glared, moving to where he was now standing in front of her. She stood up straighter, going head to head with him and normally he'd find it arousing, but this time it only pissed him off. He had such a shitty fucking day and finding out someone else had caught her attention was enough for him to leave the compound and slaughter walkers until he was somewhat cooled down.

"Who is it?"

"It doesn't matter."

Negan grinned, looking at her the same way he did when he interrogated Olivia after taking that other kid home. "What? Scared I'll go out and bash his head in?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Maybe not, but do you really want to find out?"

When she didn't say anything, he continued on, "So, who is he?"

"Goodnight, Negan."

"Come on, kid. It's a simple fucking question."

Riley unlocked his door, already halfway out when he grabbed her arm. She paused, sighing and slowly turning to look at him, "I'm trying to leave."

"Why do you always have to be so damn difficult?"

"Because you make it so easy!"

Negan glared, slowly releasing her arm. He leaned closer, letting his lips brush tenderly over her ear. He could feel her quiet intake of breath, and it made him grin when she shivered. "It's okay.. I'll figure it out soon. I like a challenge, sweetheart. I'll find out who it is, but don't think I'm going down without a fight."

She pulled back, glaring at him before turning on her heel and leaving him standing there with a slightly defeated expression.

**___**

The next morning, Riley ate her breakfast in silence. She could feel his eyes on her from across the room, and it was only a little flattering since he seemed to be too shy or nervous to come over and sit with her.

It was odd to see him eating this early, as he was always in the kitchen during the breakfast rush but apparently he was taking a break or didn't work until later. Riley's eyes met his, and he looked away, muttering something and the action caused her to smile a little. 

Riley stood up, grabbing her tray and making her way over to him. He watched her quietly as she sat down, and gently smiled when she gave him a little wave. 

"You looked lonely.." she said, getting comfortable and watching as he poured milk into his cereal. 

"Y-yeah, I just uh.."

"You don't have to be nervous, Jackson."

"I-I'm sorry, I've just never.. Talked to someone the morning after."

Riley raised her eyebrow, "Want me to leave?"

"No! No, of course not. I'm glad you're.. here."

Riley grinned, digging into her food and the two started eating. Jackson was never this shy around her since they've known each other, and seeing him this way now almost seemed ridiculous.. She threw herself at him. If anything she should be the one stuttering and tripping over her words. 

"I feel like I should apologize."

Riley frowned, looking up from her waffle, "What? Why?"

"Just.. You could have stayed over, you didn't have to leave."

Riley cleared her throat, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before shaking her head, "No, it's fine. If we got caught I would much rather get into trouble than have you come down with me."

"That's ridiculous, we had se-"

"Good morning!" said a chipper voice, followed by a tray being slammed onto the table, making both parties jump in shock. It was Phoebe. "It's a nice day, isn't it?"

Riley looked outside, seeing the rain come down like there was no tomorrow. This was her ideal weather, but there was a run today and everyone knew that any weather that wasn't sunny could complicate things. "Yeah, it's beautiful."

Jackson snickered, finishing off the last of his cereal when Phoebe asked, "So, what were you talking about?"

He choked, drawing the attention of the two girls and the small group sitting at the end of their table who eyed him wearily. Riley grinned behind her juice, watching as Phoebe gave him a confused glance. 

"Nothing, it's not important." Riley answered. 

Riley stayed with them as Phoebe finished her meal, giving Jackson an occasional sly grin when she'd catch him smiling at her. Their friend seemed completely oblivious, and it was fine with them.

The doors swung open; banging against the wall and causing every able body to jump out their seats. There stood Negan, holding Lucille and letting his eye trail over everyone who watched him in fear. One by one, everyone slowly slid off of their chairs to kneel. As much as she wanted to get up and walk out, things were already off between them (still, she might add) and she didn't feel like making it worse. Riley slowly kneeled. 

"Any of the sorry pricks in here coming with us need to be ready in five fucking minutes. It's a shitty fucking day and we need to get on the road before it gets worse." 

There was a slight murmur, and Negan twirled Lucille in his hand before nodding, "As you were." 

He left.

_He must not have seen me._

"You actually kneeled." Phoebe commented, brushing off her jeans when everyone stood up and went on with their day. 

"Yeah, I think I will from now on."

"Well.. I gotta go. I'll see you guys later." Phoebe said, giving Riley a small hug before waving at Jackson. She took her tray and left.

"I gotta get ready, he'll leave without me if I don't."

Jackson looked as if he wanted to say something, but he only nodded and placed his tray on top of hers. "Would you mind if I walk with you?"

Riley's lips twitched, "That would be great, thank you."

Jackson disposed of their trash before leading her out of the cafeteria. Despite the rain, it was warm and Riley only donned a jacket and a beanie for her outerwear. Commissary had been stocked with warmer clothes now that September was a mere week away, so she decided to take advantage now while most people would wait until things were hard to come by.

"How long do they think you'll be gone?" He asked, looking down at her and smiling when she slid the blue hat over her blonde hair.

"I have no idea. I'm hoping we'll be back by at least tomorrow, I have Blaine bringing down my backpack just in case."

They were outside, standing under an awning and Riley looked up at him, smiling softly, "Thanks for walking me."

"It's no big deal," Jackson said, shrugging. She smiled at him. "Promise to be careful?"

Riley nodded. "Of course."

They stared at each other for a minute before they both took a step forward. Riley's arms went around his neck and he gently grabbed her waist, pulling her against him as they kissed.

Off in the distance, Negan sat in the Jeep, glaring out the window.

_Shit.. I like the_ _kid too_ _much to kill him._

**___**

"You know the rules. No fucking around, we're here to get shit done."

Riley sighed, holding her Desert Eagle tightly in her grasp when they started walking towards the abandoned supermarket. Dead walkers were scattered everywhere around them, but they didn't worry about that. Some even went as far as stomping on their heads, as if it were all fun and games. 

Negan walked up front, keeping Lucille at bay and ready to attack if necessary. He managed to keep himself from talking to Riley, but it was proving difficult when he eventually became bored out of his mind. He sighed loudly, using Lucille to point at someone who gave him a horrified glance, "You-- tell me a joke."

"U-Uh well, uh.."

"Come on, it's not that fucking hard."

Riley rolled her eyes, scratching her forehead and decided to start searching for Blaine among the crowd. They met before loading the cars, where he gave her the backpack, but like always they weren't allowed to ride together. She easily spotted him, in front of Negan and off some ways to the right. Riley trotted up after him, ignoring the fact that she had to pass  _him_  to do it.

Negan watched in distaste, before brushing off the asshole who still couldn't seem to think of a joke despite being asked a few minutes ago. Simon was ahead with a few others, prying open the front doors that must have rusted shut over the years. When they were open, one of the idiots that Negan couldn't be bothered to learn the name of shot two rounds into the air, hoping to distract any walkers still lingering around the store. 

It was quiet; everyone intently listening to nature around them, and most hoping they don't hear the sounds of the dead. Riley stood next to Blaine, slightly tensed but relaxing a little when a squirrel darted out of a dead bush, making him jump. She snorted, looking down in an attempt to stay quiet.

 _"Shhhh!"_ someone hissed, immediately causing Riley to look up and glare. It was the same girl who had alerted Negan the day the fence fell. She was a decent looking redhead who was a little on the heavier side and always looked pissed at something. "Keep your mouth shut."

Blaine glared too, not noticing the smirk that appeared on Negan's face when he addressed the situation. "How about all three of you knock that shit off? I'm not in the fucking mood to deal with your third grade bickering."

Redhead closed her mouth, shaking her head and Riley looked away, not glaring at the front door. Simon called it clear, ushering everyone inside and Riley purposely shoved past the woman and followed everyone inside.

_"Jesus, it fucking stinks!"_

Riley's nose scrunched up, fighting the urge to gag. It seemed like whoever was in here had rotted away and died, as the further they got into the store, the more bodies appeared but they must have died from starvation. "Everyone keep a look out, they might be dead but don't count on it." Simon said, smacking someone in the arm when they reached at a walker. "Don't be  _stupid."_

Everyone spread out in teams, but Riley stayed close to Blaine, grabbing a basket while he went after a cart. "Don't you find it a little hard to believe that it's been this long and nobody has been in here?"

Blaine shrugged, putting the strap of his rifle over his neck. "A little, yeah.. Unless there's another door we don't know about, you'd think they would have someone scope the place out first."

Riley looked up, smiling a little, "I've never seen a grocery store with two floors."

Everything seemed to go pretty smoothly, much to everyone's relief. Riley and Blaine filled his cart first; shoving any canned food they could find and trying to prevent anything from being crushed. They moved down the aisles, avoiding the ones where someone was already in, wanting to do the job alone and be able to talk quietly without getting shushed by a Negative Nancy.

Like instructed, when it was full they wheeled it to the front where they would drop it off and a select few will load them into the trucks. Negan was nowhere to be found, which was relieving in a sense but she kept her guard up in case he decided to make a surprise appearance and scare her, which he seemed to enjoy doing even if it wasn't intentional. 

"Mighty fine job, kids," Simon said, grinning when they brought their findings. "Boss will be pretty happy with this load."

Blaine smiled, nodding a little when Simon gestured for it to be taken away. Simon looked down at Riley's half empty basket and raised an eyebrow, "Y'all planning on filling that up, too?"

The kids looked down, nodding quickly, "Y-yes, sir.." they said, before turning and going the way they came. 

Negan stood outside, twirling Lucille and watching his people get shit done. He usually tried to assist them in gathering shit that wasn't coming directly from the Hilltop or the Kingdom, but today he was so out of it all he really wanted to do was stand outside and watch them let off some steam.

He was bothered, however, when Robert wheeled out a cart full of things and began helping the others with loading them up. Negan watched, before waltzing over and peering into their findings.  _"Jeeesus!_   Who did this?" he asked, looking to Robert for answers.

"I'm not sure, sir. Simon asked me to bring it out.."

Negan sighed, switching Lucille to his other hand before heading into the store, calling out, "I'll find out for my damn self."

More and more people began to come out with their carts and baskets full of shit and the sight made him grin. Simon was nowhere to be found, so he continued on and began to pace down the aisle's, making sure nobody was fucking around and wasting time. It didn't surprise him when he found Riley with the dark-haired kid, talking and laughing quietly amongst themselves. 

Negan hesitated, bringing a hand up to rub his stubbled chin.  _Jesus, it's like she's never alone._

He walked forward, swinging Lucille and using her to bang on the metal shelf. The loud clang made the kids jump; Riley dropping the box she was holding and the other kid whirled around, bringing his gun up and pointing it at Negan. 

"Easy there, killer. You might want to put that fucker down before I do it for you."

Riley reached over, pointing the gun down as it seemed Blaine had frozen. Negan watched, bemused as he seemed to be in some sort of trance before he turned and picked up whatever she had been holding. "I'm sorry, Negan.. I thought you were a walker."

Negan grinned, finishing his trek to them and shooting Riley a wink, making her look away. "At least you were fucking prepared. I'd be pretty upset if something happened." he said, though he really only meant if something happened to Riley. 

"Is there something you need?" she asked, looking through the shelves, picking something out and checking the expiration date before placing it back on the shelf. 

"Nope. Just making sure everything is a-fucking-okay and that everyone is doing their job."

Riley stared at him, before sighing softly and going back to what she had been doing before, though Blaine had wandered farther down the aisle, giving them occasional peeks even though neither had noticed. 

Negan sighed, taking a step closer. "Are you really going to act this way?"

"I don't know what you want from me, Negan."

"What I want is for you to grow the fuck up and stop ignoring me."

Riley dropped a box of rice into her completely filled basket, before jumping in surprise when Negan reached over and took it from her, blatantly holding out Lucille for her to take. She took it. "I have to figure some things out, you should respect that."

"I'm respecting your decision on dating Donovan. Isn't that enough for you?"

Riley paled, immediately thinking back to their kiss outside.  _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ "What it is is none of your business."

"I beg to differ, sweetheart-"

"There's nothing to even talk about. You have your girls, and I have my.. guy. We just talked about this last night, were you not listening?" Riley asked, following him only because she was carrying his beloved weapon and if she took it away without his permission he might flip out. 

Before he could respond, the sound of a gunshot was heard from outside. Time seemed to move in slow motion, as Riley saw blood spray on the front doors and onto the floor, before a masked figure burst in and started firing. Like it was second nature, Negan dropped the basket of items and grabbed Riley's arm, throwing her down behind one of the check-out counters, grabbing Lucille out of her hand so she didn't fall on the barbed wire. 

More people must have came in, as Riley could see multiple bullets flying from both sides. Negan yanked her towards the register, making her gasp in surprise before his hand fell onto her mouth, shushing it. 

"Stay here and don't fucking move!" he said, standing up and yanking a gun from a holster she hadn't even noticed before. Riley could feel her own gun poking her, but decided to pull it out after he left. A figure ran past them, but didn't get far as Negan reached out and shot it in the head, making it fall to the ground. It was wearing a blue face mask that was quickly turning red. 

Negan ran off, making Riley sit there in shock.  _What the fuck, I should be out there fighting!_

Riley feared for Blaine. Simon. Dwight. Robert..  _Negan._

_I can't just sit here._

Riley scrambled to her feet, looking behind her to see multiple bodies on the ground, while shots were still being fired. Thankfully, most of the dead were wearing masks of many different colors. She ran off, leaving the carnage behind as an idea started formulating in her head. She ran until she found a staircase leading to the upstairs, hoping to find whatever she was looking for.

Down below, Negan grabbed a machine gun from one of his fallen Saviors.  _Robert._ He stood up, immediately firing a shot at a masked figure trying to take a holster of another dead one of his. He didn't bother checking out the clothing, so he was surprised when the scream coming from it was female. He held no remorse, though, as he approached it and quickly put a bullet through her brain. 

Up above, Riley opened a bottle of lighter fluid, before ripping off the cap and using her knife to puncture the protective covering. She reached for the white bucket she found, dumping the contents into it, feeling her heart race as the gun fire stopped, before a voice that wasn't Negan surfaced.

"Hey, man. We tried being civil, but your people just weren't having it."

Riley froze, quietly putting down the empty can before crawling over to the railing, peeking over it to see a tall, lanky man with red hair, holding a mask in his hand and a gun in the other. He was surrounded by five others; all masked and pointing a gun at the remaining Saviors, including Negan, Simon, and Dwight. Riley desperately searched for Blaine, but to no avail.

"Please excuse the shit out of my goddamn French, but who in the fucking  _hell_ are you?"

Riley turned, going back to her bucket before startling when she saw Blaine kneeled down, dumping something into it. She smiled in relief, coming over and grinning when he smiled at her. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he whispered, despite the blood splattered on his face. "I saw you come up here.."

"-so, word is you guys are the fucking shit around here.. but not for long. You see, I don't appreciate when assholes like you go around and act like they're the king of the fucking jungle."

Riley looked down, seeing that he had poured another in can of fluid. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a zippo lighter. "We have to move, quickly and quietly." 

They stood up, Blaine handing her the lighter before quietly reaching down to pick up the bucket. Riley led him down the aisle, walking away from the railing and re-routing so they would be standing behind asshole one and his buddies. 

"You have no motherfucking idea who you're dealing with. Unless you're fucking blind, more of your men are laying on the floor dead than my own," Negan said, completely oblivious to what was going on above. "If you have such a fine ass fucking community, I sure as shit never heard of it."

When they reached their destination, Blaine quietly put the bucket down before turning to Riley, frowning when she put a hand to his chest. "Go."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know how many people they have hiding down there. If they see me they'll shoot me, and you have to get back to Starlett."

"Riley-"

"Blaine, ** _go."_**

"I'm not leaving!" he hissed, pulling her away from the railing. "This may have been your idea, but I checked all of the perimeters before coming up here. It's a small store, I would have seen if they would have had snipers or some shit!"

"-I guess I'll just have to kill you." said the redhead.

_**NO.** _

Riley and Blaine froze; staring with wide eyes before Blaine reached down, grabbing the bucket and stepping forward the few steps to dump it over the railing, watching as the fluid fell to the ground below; dousing the remaining survivors of the other group.

Riley flipped the lighter, hearing the confused voice of the redhead exclaim _"What the fuck!?"_ before dropping it below. 

Negan watched; eyes wide as the group was engulfed in flames. Screams of pain and terror filled the store, making him flinch and step back, yanking away whoever was standing in front of him as some of the fluid had splattered towards them. The smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose, and when Simon nudged him, he looked up to see where he was pointing. 

There she was. 

Riley stood above; face impassive as she stared down at the flames that were burning a bright orange. The screams had faded out, and was now replaced with the sounds of the flames crackling and the sound of quiet sniffles. Her eyes slowly met his, and he held them for a few minutes before she looked away, turning and walking away from the railing. 

"Let them burn for a few minutes," he told Simon, squeezing Lucille in his hand tighter. "We'll put them out and then head back."

**___**

The death count was twelve.

Twelve Saviors were dead, while all twenty of the others had perished as well. Negan was upset; asking whoever was left if they saw what had happened, only to be let down when nobody knew. The three who were loading the trucks outside were dead, but Robert had managed to sneak in, but was killed somewhere along the line. They had collected the weapons from the dead, putting that with all of the other supplies before leaving. 

The only reason why Negan had them put out the fire was because he didn't want to take the chance and go out one of the back doors, as he wasn't sure if that was all of them or if redhead Joe had others waiting to pounce. Luckily, though, the departure went of without a hitch and they were making their way back to the Sanctuary. 

Negan decided to drive this time, taking the Jeep and asking Riley to ride shotgun. Much to his relief, she didn't complain or protest, only nodding and climbing in with no questions asked. Since their count was down twelve, they were able to be alone and for that he was grateful.. Even though she hadn't said a word since they left.

She was curled up, hoodie covering her knees and her cute little beanie covering her eyes. Negan assumed that she had fallen asleep, but part of him wanted to shake her awake and talk to her.  _I fucking babied her. I babied her and she goes on and sets those assholes on fire._

The thought made him chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

Negan grinned, licking his bottom lip before looking over to see her sitting up; dopey eyed and fixing the beanie so it was sitting on her head normally. "I'm laughing at you, kid.. That was some great fucking work over there."

Riley shrugged, yawning, "I had help.."

He raised his eyebrow, keeping his eyes on the road. "Oh yeah? And who was that? I didn't see anybody up there with you."

"Blaine, it was him."

"What, he came up with the idea?"

"N-no, but.."

"But?"

Riley huffed, leaning her head back against the rest. "He tossed the lighter fluid over the railing."

"Oh, jeez, pardon me," Negan said, ignoring the icy glare she shot his way, "I didn't realize throwing a bucket was better than coming up with a plan to take out six people."

"It wasn't meant for them specifically. I don't even know what I was doing, I could have killed our own if I just threw it all down there.. They just made it easy."

"You didn't, sweetheart. They're dead, and we get to go back home."

Riley was quiet for a minute, before whispering, "Robert can't."

Negan sighed, knowing that they were friendly with each other, but he didn't know how much. "I'm sorry, kid. I know you liked him."

Riley looked out the window, wishing the sun would go away and it would just rain. It seemed fitting for her mood even if it was one of the most cliche things ever. "He was the first one to ever really warm up to me.. Besides you."

Negan swallowed, eyes flickering over to her before he reached for the walkie sitting in the cup holder, bringing it to his mouth. ".. Simon, how far from outpost two?"

Riley frowned, looking at the time to see it wasn't even six. She looked at her backpack sitting on the floor beside her feet. 

"Only twenty minutes, sir. Are we making a stop?"

"Yeah, let them know we'll be there for the night."

**___**

"Have you heard anything about the run?"

Phoebe looked up from her book, shrugging when Jackson raised his eyebrow at her. "No, I haven't heard a thing.. Are they not back yet?"

"No, they're not."

"Don't worry too much, I'm sure they're fine."

Jackson sat down on the bench beside her, leaning back and looking up to the sky with a gentle sigh. Two important people left almost nine hours ago and they still had yet to return. He thought of Blaine as a good friend, but Riley..

He cleared his throat, brushing his hair away from his eyes before standing up, wanting to walk and clear his head. "If you hear anything, can you let me know?"

"Of course!" Phoebe said, looking up at him with a smile before she frowned, closing the cover of her book, "Are you okay?"

Jackson chewed on his lip, scratching his head.  _I don't know if Riley wants anyone to know.._

"I'm just worried for Riley and Blaine."

"I wouldn't worry too much, they're strong."

"I know, but.. Anything can happen, you know?"

Phoebe watched her friend quietly, before nodding. She could tell something was off but decided not to ask, knowing he was a private person for certain things and if he wanted to talk about it he'd say something first. "Even if they don't come back tonight that doesn't mean something happened, you know how-"

"Yeah, Riley said something about maybe coming back tomorrow."

Phoebe grinned, standing up and looking at the sky. "Exactly.. I'm going to get dinner, I have the breakfast shift tomorrow."

Jackson nodded, sighing as she walked by and turned around, deciding to take a walk around the perimeter.

**___**

"That was some great thinking, cutie."

Riley sat up, giving Simon a disoriented look before smiling, rubbing her eyes. "Why is it that you always talk to me when I'm half asleep?"

Simon chuckled, taking a seat across from her while she straightened herself out. "I don't know, I guess I'm destined to only talk to you certain times of the day."

Riley laughed a little, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It wasn't that big of a deal, anybody could have done it."

Simon shrugged, placing his hands on his stomach while he leaned back in his chair. "Anybody could have done it, but you were the only one who did. That says  _a lot."_

"I had help.."

"Still, it was great thinking.. Negan didn't want anybody else dying, that's why he was trying to talk the fucker down."

Riley frowned, grabbing her bottle of water. "I didn't hear the whole conversation.. What happened?"

"As it turns out, the ginger came from Kentucky and they would raid every camp they found and take their stuff. They never stayed in one place for too long and they saw us when they were driving through, decided to stop and attack us."

Riley snickered. "So, he told you guys this?"

"Must've thought it was ideal information. I can't pretend to understand how every dumbasses minds work, but it gave us a little insight to what we need to look out for. We thought it was those idiot Alexandrian's at first, but seeing they had no idea who we were talking about really cleared the air."

"Do you think there's more of them?"

Simon sighed, watching as she twisted the bottle around on the tabletop. "I can't really say, cutie. I'd like to think that was all of them, it didn't sound like he had any others waiting nearby for mommy and daddy to return home with the loot. Even if there are, they don't have a leader. It could be life and death for them right now."

Riley nodded, silently agreeing with him. After a few minutes, Simon stood up, pushing his chair in half-heartedly. "Make sure you eat, kiddo. It would be a shame to lose that brilliant head of yours." he said, pointing to her untouched sandwich and juice. 

"I will.." she said, smiling a little when he bowed, before turning and walking away. She watched him go, before calling out, "Simon?"

He paused, turning to look at her with a goofy expression on his face that made her smile. "Yes?"

".. I'm glad you didn't die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo a trip to NYC and an unpleasant round of food poisoning seven hours from home made this chapter shorter than originally intended. Hope you guys enjoy anyway :(


	15. 14.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEASON 7 FINALE TONIGHT, WHOOHOO

**AS A KID, NEGAN HAD A THING FOR SLASHER FILMS.**

So, it was his absolute fucking honor to give the leader of Alexandria a name derived from said childhood filled with serial killers, guts, and sexually active teens who never seemed to learn when it was or wasn't time to get dirty..  _Rick the Prick._

Ever since  _Rick the Prick_ and his little army of titans invaded outpost two, Negan had the number of patrolmen amped through all hours of the night, even though he left Alexandria with absolutely no guns and means of protection, it was a safety precaution that was further put to light with that hillbilly motherfucker Joe and his posse of unsatisfactory ninjas jumped them just mere hours ago. He ordered more guards on all outposts and he didn't want to hear about it.

Negan had dressed down for the night; wearing a simple shirt sans the leather jacket and plain black pants to sleep in. Lucille, though, accompanied him as he waltzed into the kitchen after dark to look for some water or juice, not feeling like getting a buzz going as his mind was still reeling from that little sweetheart doing what she did and the fact that he actually wanted to get a decent night's sleep. 

He paused, however, when he saw said sweetheart slumped over one of the few tables they had, fast asleep with an half eaten apple beside her arm. The room was faintly lit, but he'd recognize that blonde hair anywhere. 

Negan approached quietly, swinging Lucille up to gently place her in one of the folding chairs. Riley was dead to the world; breathing softly and not once moving when he brought his hand up and brushed a piece of hair away from her face, revealing her closed lids.  _Fuck, she really was exhausted._

He decided to leave her there for a little while longer, wanting to secure a bed for her somewhere he'd trust she'd be safe and have a peaceful night's rest. He already sent Simon and Dwight off to bed, and he hasn't seen that  _Blaine_  kid since they arrived, but he figured he was probably asleep too and since he was part of Riley's master plan today he'd let him rest for a while. 

_Damn, I really can be a_ **_nice guy._ **

The simple fact that she was left alone was enough for him to trust she'd be alright by herself for a few more minutes while he looked for a room. He took Lucille, going back the way he came and set off looking for a bed for sleeping beauty.

Much to his irritation, though, there was absolutely no luck with the living arrangements and that could only mean one thing.. she'd be sharing with him.

The thought of sharing a bed with her was enough to get him excited, but he knew there was no way in hell he'd be able to control himself around her if they were to get into bed together. Negan would never hurt her, no.. But he was insanely into her and the temptation to reach over and touch her soft skin was too much to even  _think_  about. So, as he scooped her up and carried her to his room, he knew she'd be getting the bed and he'd take the floor.

Negan managed to open the door one handed, before quietly closing it and taking her over to the bed where he used his free hand to pull the covers back and set her down. Riley instantly curled up, facing him and Negan took off her gun holster, placing it on the table for her to grab tomorrow. He started untying her shoes, hoping she wouldn't get too frisky in her sleep and start throwing kicks. Negan didn't want to deal with a broken nose.

When she was all nice and comfortable, Negan started bringing the covers up her body until the scent of her hair washed over him. He swallowed, looking down at her to find that she had moved closer to him and her shoulder was touching his leg.  _Fuck._

Negan stepped back, not wanting to move her in fear of waking her and finished tucking her in from a distance. Riley didn't budge; only breathing softly and when he was satisfied he sat on the floor, leaning against the bedside table with a sigh.. it didn't occur to him to take off her glasses.

**___**

"Come on kid, wake the hell up."

There was a rustle and a blast of cold air when she felt the blanket being ripped away. Riley startled, sitting up with a weary eye and found Negan staring down at her with an amused expression. She glared at him, finding his figure to be a little blurry and she started looking around for her glasses.

Negan watched, waiting for her to give him a smart ass response only to be disappointed when she seemed determined to ignore him. He bent down, snatching her frames off the floor before holding them out to her. "Looking for something?"

Riley paused, staring at them before her hand darted out and took them. Negan smirked, thinking of how well she must have slept to make her glasses fall off and onto him during the night. "What time is it?" she asked, ducking her head and tucking a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. 

"It's noon, sunshine. Apparently you're not the only one slow on their feet today. I'm done waiting, get your ass up or you're being left here."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me, princess."

Riley's nose crinkled at the name; her mind wasn't awake enough to deal with pet names. "I'm getting up, leave me alone."

Negan chuckled dryly, before turning and leaving, but not before giving Lucille a nice tap on the iron frame of the bed. 

She stood up, noticing that her weapons were sitting on the bedside table and her shoes were casually placed on the floor..  _Negan._

Negan waltzed outside; keeping Lucille perched on his shoulder with a grin. His men were scattering around, dropping off some of the supplies they gathered, while others were preparing for a trip to the Hilltop. He observed quietly, reaching up to rub the stubble that was growing back. 

"We ready to leave, sir?"

Negan turned, addressing Riley's friend Blaine. He grinned, tapping his fingers against the smooth wood of Lucille's handle. He had an idea. "Tell  **D**  to keep three spaces open for that trip to Hilltop.. And  _you_ , don't go anywhere."

Blaine nodded, frowning a little as he turned and loped back the way he came. 

Negan heard the metal door creak as it opened. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was, he could feel her energy. He managed to keep a straight face as she started walking past him, only to pause and turn around halfway. "I thought we were in a hurry to leave?"

His resolve crumbled, causing him to grin at her. "There's been a change of plans, you and your boy Blaine are coming with me to the Hilltop."

Riley raised her eyebrow; she remembered Jackson mentioning Hilltop, but she had never set foot in it. "And why is that?"

"It's time to collect their shit, that's why. You want out? I'll gladly arrange for you to go home, sweetheart."

Riley glared, Negan just now noticing that she wasn't wearing her frames anymore. He took the chance to admire her eyes. "I just asked a question."

Negan shrugged, not at all bothered by the dejected look that crossed her features. "That's just fine, Riley."

She sighed, crossing her arms and turning back around. 

_Him and that stupid bat._

_____

"Negan! To w-what do I owe the pleasure?"

Riley stood by and watched as the leader (she supposed) stepped forward out of the oversized house in the middle of the compound. He was an older, balding man and the vibe she received from him was nothing good. There was something off about his demeanor, and she glanced around to see if anyone else seemed to notice. 

"It's collection day, _Gregory.._ I believe we're here to pick up  _our_  shit." 

Gregory swallowed, looking around at the ten or so men (and one woman) Negan brought along. There was a young girl, blonde and extremely cute and he wondered if she was anything to the  **big bad wolf.** The way she easily fit in with the others told him she was one who could take care of herself.. It would be a shame if-

"Y-yes, of course. What do you acquire?"

Negan shrugged, letting Lucille dangle at his side, enjoying the wide eyed look Gregory had on his face observing his bat. "Whatever the hell I want, I think.. Yeah, I think that sounds about right."

Gregory nodded, stepping back and away from the group of Saviors who seemed too eager to start raiding the camp. Riley shuffled awkwardly, holding her Desert Eagle while her eyes wandered around the small camps of people who paused what they were doing to watch. She found a tall, lanky figure standing just to the side of Gregory who had a striking resemblance to Jesus.. Even more so than Avi. He was watching her quietly with a confused expression.

_I don't recognize you either, buddy._

"Everyone spread out, get a decent but  _fair_  amount of shit.. Not in the mood for any funny business."

Everyone spread out, with the exception of Riley who continued to awkwardly stand there. Negan being Negan noticed, of course, and gave her a disapproving look, "That goes for you too, kid."

She huffed, glaring at him before heading in another direction, mentally fuming when he grinned and did an over exaggerated fist pump at her expense.

Gregory watched in silence, already knowing that he will not speak unless spoken to. He didn't mind sucking up to Simon, or anyone else for that matter, but the few times Negan made an appearance made him too nervous to even speak. Out of all the men and women who came through here at every collection day, he had never seen that blonde. Normally he wouldn't care, but he could feel the tension between her and leader from miles away.

It made him curious.

Riley never knew why she came to these, as Alexandria should have been a clear sign that stealing wasn't one of her strong suits. Scavenging an abandoned store or house was different, but whenever she had to take something from a person who made whatever it was their own, it never sat right with her.

"I've never seen you before."

Riley jumped, turning to see the same guy from before. He was cute; his hair nicely framing his face and she found herself unable to look him in the eye. "Yeah, I'm new."

"Hm.. What, aren't you going to take anything?"

_Well, he sounded nice at first._

"What? Do you want me to take something?"

The guy shrugged, and she looked down at a basket of apples a young woman and a little girl had been picking when they arrived. They continued tossing apples in, giving them weary looks and Riley shrugged, bending down and snatching one up. "There, is that better?" she asked, taking a bite as she walked away.

Jesus watched her go, before sighing. His eyes fell on Gregory, who was following Negan around, more than likely rambling on about how he was a loyal follower and would never do anything wrong against the Saviors. He saw Gregory giving the girl looks, and knowing Gregory like he did, he knew that was never a good thing.

Riley bit into the apple, ignoring the tens of pairs of eyes following her every move. Her patience was already wearing thin, so she tried controlling herself and keep from snapping at them to mind their own business.

There was a buzz of electricity and then someone brushed against her arm. Riley could feel his breath on her neck. "You enjoying yourself there?"

"Yeah, it's the only thing you'll see me taking."

Negan smirked, following her when she continued on. "So what, you're going around like a fucking security guard?"

"If that's how you want to put it, yeah."

"Whatever floats your boat, kid."

Riley shook her head, turning to face him. "You're not going to yell at me?"

Negan looked confused, looking down at her with furrowed brows. Riley looked down, not trusting herself to keep from cracking under his gaze.

_Jackson, think of Jackson._

"And why in the hell would I do that?"

"You've been in a shitty mood the past few days, I thought it was becoming the norm for you."

Negan bit his tongue, looking up at the sky to keep from telling her what he  _really_  wanted to say. "I'm really not in the fucking mood to talk about this."

Riley shrugged, finally bringing her eyes up to meet his. "Then don't give me a reason to."

___

Riley didn't think they'd be there that long, so when a few hours passed and they hadn't budged, she began to grow impatient.

Blaine had finally managed to pull away from Simon and the others, coming over to sit next to her as she watched over everything on the porch of the house. Things were going smoothly, despite Negan going around with Lucille and pointing it at people, testing them to say something smart or disobey him.

"I told them we'd be home quickly, this isn't quickly."

"We'll be heading back soon," Blaine said, clasping his hands together, ".. I hope."

She sighed, letting her knee touch his. "Do you have any food?"

Blaine nodded, shrugging his backpack off his shoulders. "I have some chips left; did you know there's a kettle back home?"

Riley shook her head, smiling when he opened a half empty plastic bag, setting it between them. The sweet, salty smell of homemade potato chips assaulted her nose and they dug in, crunching on their snack while everyone else continued bustling around.

"Sometimes I think they just like tormenting these people."

"Please tell me you're not just figuring this out."

Blaine shrugged, digging into the chips. "No, but.. I've collected here once already, and twice at the Kingdom. We're not allowed within the walls there, but they always deliver. Here, we request a few things we want, we've never just taken whatever we please.. It's like they just want to cause trouble."

As much as she tried fighting it, she couldn't help but defend Negan a little, "I mean.. They don't seem to be too bad today.. You know these people don't act up when Negan's around."

"Maybe so, but we should have just came and left."

"Tell me about it."

"What are you kids doing? I don't remember hearing it was break time."

_Simon._

They didn't even bother replying, instead grabbing the bag of chips and shoving it back into Blaine's bag. Riley stood up, ignoring the amused look Simon was giving them and removed her gun from it's holster, waiting for her friend to stand up with her.

_I've literally been sitting here for forty-five minutes and nobody says anything until I have company._

"Are we almost done?" Riley asked, approaching Simon who kept that same cheesy smile on his face, despite calling her out just seconds before.

 _"We're_ almost done, yes.. I'm confused, cutie, did Negan put you on guard duty or what?"

Riley thought for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, totally."

Simon stared at her, before shrugging and seeming to accept it, whether he believed her or not. "Well, I guess that means you can continue what you were doing."

"No, I'm already up now."

He looked slightly guilty, but not in a sense that he'd apologize. Riley wasn't looking for one, so she only gave him a timid smile before loping off in the direction of the cars that were being loaded with the last of the goods.

Riley felt eyes on her, still, but this time it was a different feeling. It was that sort of feeling of being watched for reasons other than curiosity, or fear.. It felt like being watched with malicious intent.

_Jesus, it's like target after target is being planted on my back outside of home._

Riley kept a wary eye; taking in her surroundings, but not finding anything out of the ordinary. The sound of cars starting up caught her attention, and she was relieved to see that Simon and Negan were instructing everyone to get ready to leave.

She felt a hand grab her arm, and she whirled around, aiming her gun at whoever had the nerve to touch her without asking. Lucky for Gregory, she didn't immediately pull the trigger and instead stared down the barrel of a very impressive Desert Eagle. Riley slightly faltered at the sight of him, but only lowered her gun to where it was pointed at his chest. "

"Don't do anything you'll regret, blondie."

Riley almost choked, finally dropping her weapon. "Excuse me?"

Gregory held up his hands; surrendering and taking a step back, all part of the show. "I just want to talk, girl."

"Well, learn how to use that damn voice box of yours-"

"I don't appreciate the attitude, missy.. Who are you?"

"My name's Riley, that's all you need to know."

"I'm just asking you a few questions.. I like getting to know the newbies."

_Yeah, okay._

Riley sighed, taking the chance to peek at Negan who was too busy discussing something with an unnamed Savior. Her gaze fell back to Gregory, who was watching her with disdain. She didn't like that. "What do you really want?"

He seemed to lose all control, as he was now glaring at her. "What are you, his girlfriend or something?"

Riley blinked, trying to figure out if this guy was being serious. He didn't falter, only waiting for an answer and all she could do was roll with it. "I have a boyfriend, and it's not Negan."

"Really? I felt all of that  _tension_ , girl.. I felt it the moment you two stepped out of that Jeep."

"Okay, well that 'tension' is none of your business."

"Don't get an attitude with me, missy-"

"I wouldn't if you called me by my real name."

Gregory paused, his glare morphing into a look of pity. "What's your name, again?"

Riley rolled her eyes, "Never mind. Are we done here?"

Gregory stared at her, his mind reeling with ideas on how to use her against Negan. He was sure there was something going on there, and that was just by seeing their behavior around the other and how close to her he got after she stole one of  _his_ apples. A part of him knew that she wouldn't flat out tell him their secrets, but the walls she had up showed him there was things being kept and he wanted to find out more.

In the distance, Jesus watched as Gregory stepped closer to the girl. She backed up, her hand tightening on her gun and his eyes wandered around, trying to find that boy she was sitting with on the porch. He didn't catch either of their names, and though they were both with the enemy, he had the urge to find them out. Nobody seemed to be paying them any attention and it was irritating him.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion, however, when her face turned from irritated to hurt. Jesus watched, startled when she raised her hand; gun tight in her grasp and pointed directly in his face.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?"

Negan's loud, angry voice snapped Riley out of her trance. Gregory was on the ground, yelling obscenities and scrambling to get away.. Her hand was hurting from grasping it so tight, and she looked down at it and released the gun, letting it hit the grass.

A large group had gathered; Blaine running over and almost hitting Simon who turned and glared at him.

"Princess, what the fuck happened?"

Riley shrugged, looking down at the man who finally stood up, looking scared as hell. Negan sighed, leaning in closer. "I asked you a fucking question!"

"He's an asshole, that's what."

" I'm not asking you how fine of a fucking gentleman he is. I'm asking  _what happened."_

"T-total misunderstanding."

Negan laughed, looking down at Gregory who was a few inches shorter than him. His face was red, and she didn't know if it was because of fear or embarrassment.. Or both. "Is that so? It doesn't seem like it, Gregory.. My girl over here would  _never_  hurt someone for the hell of it."

Riley looked at Blaine, feeling tears prick her eyes. He pushed past Simon, coming over and gently grabbing her arm. Negan raised Lucille, making him immediately stop in his tracks. "Don't go anywhere, kid. I'm not finished."

Blaine paused, not letting go of her arm. Riley's hand was hurting and she wondered if she had held the gun too tightly, which seemed impossible, but.. Hopefully it was just her nerves, if anything. "Now somebody better have a pretty good fucking explanation in thirty seconds or-"

"Gregory's an asshole, that's all there is to it."

"Riley, I know perfectly  _damn_  well that sass is not directed at me."

Riley sighed. "He threatened me."

Negan looked bemused, turning to address Gregory who was watching all of the guns that were now pointed at him. He licked his lip, once again bringing Lucille up to taunt the leader. "Is that fucking right, Gregory?.. No, don't even fucking answer that fucking question."

"S-Sir?"

"How about I just fucking kill you?"

There was an eerie silence that fell over the camp, and Riley watched as Gregory's resolve finally crumbled. He fell to his knees, showing mercy to Negan who only stared down at him in disgust. Blaine watched her, wanting to know what Gregory had said that set her off. It wasn't in her nature to react that way.. Sure, maybe she'd get feisty with her words or even give you a punch on the arm, but.. For Riley to point a  _gun_  in your face-

"Simon," Negan called, looking up to observe his best man. "Start a line up. I think these people need to be reminded of the rules."

Riley should have known that Gregory wouldn't disagree with that. The look of relief that flashed in his eyes made her angrier; and if her gun wasn't still laying on the ground a few feet away, she'd really shoot him this time.

Simon and a few others walked around, grabbing a few poor souls who happened to be standing around. Negan twirled his bat, finally turning to look at her. Blaine didn't budge, still holding her arm and Riley looked down. "It's okay."

"No, it's not okay!" Blaine hissed, worried from the simple fact that she wasn't acting like herself. "You pulled a fucking gun on the le-"

"That will be enough of that," Negan said, now directing his glare at Blaine who immediately shut up. "You better tell me what was said, Riley."

___

The lineup consisted of six people. Three men, three women.

Riley stood by Negan, avoiding looking up at all of the people watching them. Negan was silently reeling, personally wanting to just beat the ever living fuck out of Gregory's head and leave him there for these people to clean up themselves.. Only problem was, he didn't know of anyone capable enough to continue running the joint if he killed the guy. He had too much other shit to worry about.

He had an idea, though, and it seemed to sit just right with him.

Riley watched as he moved forward, standing in front of the person kneeling in the middle of the group. She hoped that the woman were just bluffs; Negan wouldn't kill an innocent woman, right?

_And what, killing an innocent man is even better?_

"Gregory!" Negan said cheerfully, making the older man look at him with wide eyes. "How about you come up here, take my girl for me?"

Like he expected, Gregory's eyes landed on the blonde next to him. Negan rolled his eyes, moving to where he'd be standing right in front of her, blocking his view. "Not that girl..  _This_ one, my ever fucking lovely Lucille." he said, holding her up to eye level. 

There was a moment of silence; silence that made Riley finally look up and watch as Gregory hesitated to take the bat. She frowned, her eyes zoning in on the back of Negan's head.

"TAKE THE FUCKING BAT!"

The intensity of Negan's yell made everyone jump, Gregory finally reaching for the bat and taking it. Negan grinned, stepping to the side and gesturing to the people still kneeling on the ground. "It's your lucky fucking day, Gregory. Chose whoever you fucking like and bash their goddamn head in."

Jesus watched, mentally fuming and knowing perfectly well that Gregory wasn't going to stand up for the community. He had too much pride, and because of that, one of their own was going to suffer a brutal death.

Back at the Sanctuary, Avriel sat next to Starlett, holding her hand.

"You'd think they'd be back by now.." she said, only holding his hand for comfort. "Why does it always seem that we're left wondering?"

"It's just something we have to get used to."

"That's shitty, I should have joined them."

Avi looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "What? Don't you like working in the kitchen?"

"No.. I mean, yeah, it's great and I've made friends, but.. This constant worry about them all of the time. I feel like one of those army wives who are left home while their husbands go overseas."

"They'll be back.. They went to Hilltop, I heard Dwight telling someone that earlier."

Starr watched him for a few seconds, before sighing, looking away. "I'm really considering changing jobs. I don't know how to handle him constantly being gone sane."

"You know he's not going to like that, Starlett."

"I don't care.. Riley wouldn't like you doing the same, either."

Avi was quiet.

Starr frowned, turning her attention back to him. ".. You knew she'd choose what she did, didn't you?"

After a moment of silence, he spoke, "Of course I did.. She's my sister, I know her like the back of my hand."

"But why didn't y-"

"My presence would just mess everything up."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Riley was always independent.. She could take care of herself, and it only got stronger when all of this started happening. If I would have tagged along, she'd know it was only because of her. I don't want her thinking she needs me around, she doesn't."

"But you're her  _brother_.. Her older brother, I might add. You can do whatever you want!"

"I know, but I chose what I thought was best. Maybe I should have convinced her to switch, maybe even have me on patrol and all of that, but we both know she's too stubborn."

"You speak so calmly about it.."

Avriel shrugged, standing up and watching as the blue sky slowly started to cloud up. "I've come to terms with the fact that I can't baby her. Especially not now, I've accepted that, and.. I love her to death, but I need her to know that if anything were to happen, she's strong enough to be without me."

___

Jackson took off his apron, throwing it in the trashcan used for laundry. It was the end of his shift, and he was anxious to get out and find Riley. With dinner nearing, he hoped that they were back from their trip to Hilltop. From what he knew, the amount of supplies gathered at the supermarket left them well off for a few more weeks. They did inventory, and that was when he found that both Riley and Blaine had been asked to accompany Negan and a few others to the other community.

When he stepped outside, he was hit with a ray of sunshine. He was able to catch a few glimpses of the outside through the windows of the dining area, and for a moment it seemed like it was going to storm. The clouds seemed to have moved away, thankfully, but there was a chill in the air that showed September was coming and Summer was almost over.

The sight of Avi walking towards him caught his attention. The older male paused, before managing to smile and meet him halfway.

"Are they back yet?"

Avi shook his head, wiping his hand on the leg of his coveralls. "No, I was just talking to Starr about it."

"Shit.. Has anyone heard anything?" Jackson asked, only to be disappointed when Avi said, "No, nobody knows anything. We don't know if they're still at Hilltop or on their way back."

Before he could say anything, Avi patted his arm, "I gotta get back, I still have another two hours to finish.. I'll see you later."

Jackson could tell that something was off, but Avi was gone before he could acknowledge the situation. Jackson sighed, deciding that he couldn't sit around and worry. He set off towards housing, wanting to take a shower and hopefully clear his head for Riley's arrival back home.

___

"ANOTHER! HE'S NOT FINISHED YET!"

There was a gasp for air, and then the bat was brought down again, splitting open the skull of the poor man who was Gregory's choosing. Riley watched, tears stinging her eyes as the innocent man was beat down into nothing. If anything, Gregory should be the one receiving punishment, not doling it.

Lucky for him, and herself, Simon had picked up her gun and held onto it, Negan's orders. Everyone knew that Negan played games, but his reasoning behind this one was confusing for her.

Gregory's outfit was splattered in blood, much like his face and anyone nearby. For such an older man, he didn't seem to have any struggle with bludgeoning someone with a bat, but the look on his face said it all.

"Atta boy!" he said, all smiles when Gregory slumped forward, too exhausted to continue. "Nobody had to die, Gregory.. This was all by  _your_  hand, and hell if it ain't sad that their leader can't  _act_  like one."

Gregory swallowed, looking up at Negan when he approached, bending down to take the bat. He was on the ground, as if kneeling.. The sight made Riley want to gag, as if this was his cheap, cowardly way of saving himself.

"Stand up." he said, gesturing for Gregory to do so with his hand.

When he did, Negan observed him quietly. The only sounds being the quiet sobs of onlookers and the wind in the trees. Riley stood by, actually feeling the warm presence of Negan leave her when he moved. She's said it once and she'll say it again, being by him brought on a sense of security that she couldn't explain.

Negan leaned in closer, whispering something in the other man's ear. The silence surrounding everyone and everything was so suspenseful that she began to feel dizzy. When Negan stepped back, he turned and gave her a closed lipped smile. "I think we're done here, what do you think?"

To think that he was actually asking her was crazy. She only stared back at him, before he turned around and whacked Gregory in the leg with Lucille. He yelped, falling to the ground and Riley winced, hardly able to imagine what that felt like.

"You better fucking listen to what I just told you, got it!?" Negan roared, delivering another hit right in his arm. The barbed wire of Lucille tore through his shirt, scratching his skin and blood immediately began to show through the holes. His leg was probably the same way.

And with that, Negan turned, grabbing Riley roughly by the arm and dragging her out of there with Gregory on the ground, howling in pain.

___

"I think it's more sociably acceptable for a woman to be in the men's bathroom than vice versa."

Riley shrugged, silently agreeing with him. "Still, it's weird."

Avriel and Blaine made her sit on one of the benches, Blaine going off to get a washcloth to wipe the blood off her face that came from Gregory swinging the bat around. That, and the fact that she was extremely flushed and Avi wanted her to cool down a little. Blaine had given him a quick recap on all that happened, and he was still trying to process it all.

Avi went to go and get a towel, and that was when she looked up to see Jackson.

Her eyes widened, "Jackson!"

"R-Riley?" he asked, before hissing, "FUCK, shampoo in the eye, shampoo in the eye.."

She winced, looking away just as both boys came back, sitting on either side of her. Riley took the cloth from Blaine, rubbing her face clean and Avi did his best in tying her hair up. "You have too much hair."

Riley snickered, looking at him,  _"I_  have too much hair?"

"Shush and look straight ahead."

She did, allowing him to put her hair in a ponytail before grabbing the damp towel, pressing it to the back of her neck. She sighed softly, dropping her own cloth and slumping forward.

"What-"

Avi shook his head, immediately shushing Blaine who took the hint and closed his mouth. His mom always did this when Riley got too worked up, and it worked every time.. He could only hope it didn't lose it's charm.

The sound of water being shut off made them look up, and they saw Jackson come out with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Riley looked up, tapping Avi's hand, holding the towel to her neck on her own. "Don't mind me.."

_I've seen you naked but still, don't mind me._

"Y-You guys don't have to baby me-"

"We're your family, we're here to help you."

Riley bit the inside of her cheek, before pulling the most serious face she could muster and looked at her brother and good friend. "Can you guys go and get me some water? Something to eat?"

Avi and Blaine shared a look, and while they did so, she took the chance to look at Jackson who was checking himself out in the mirror. She hid her giggle, smiling when he met her gaze in the mirror and paused, grinning stupidly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes.  _Please,_  go and get me some food."

When they left, Riley sighed, slouching forward and pressing her forehead to her knees. She was getting a headache and she believed it was about time she went to bed. Negan had other ideas, though, and demanded that she be ready for him to pay her a visit after everything got settled.

She heard the sound of a locker being opened.

"May I ask what happened?"

Riley looked up, seeing him already half dressed. "I don't know how to explain it."

"You can try."

"Have you ever met the leader at Hilltop? Gregory?"

Jackson frowned, shaking his head, "No, I haven't actually.. I haven't met the leader at the Kingdom, either."

"Oh.." Riley said, before taking the towel from her neck. "He's a real asshole."

"Is he dead?"

Riley shook her head, "No, but he should be. He's such a  _snake."_

Jackson came over, sitting down with a red shirt in his hand. "Okay, now you've got me curious."

Riley stayed quiet, looking at her lap. The only person who knew what he said to her was Negan, and in a way it didn't seem right to tell Jackson before her brother.. She sighed, giving him a small smile, "Let's just say he said something to me.. And I uhh, snapped and pointed a gun in his face."

Jackson paused, his shirt halfway on and halfway off.  _Shit._ "Fuck, did he like.."

"He threatened me, in a way.. I was already irritable as it was, he just made it worse," Riley sighed, reaching up to put her hair in a bun instead of Avi's attempt at a ponytail. "Negan made him kill one of his own, and then whacked him with Lucille a few times.. He'll probably have trouble walking for a while."

"But, you weren't hurt?"

"No.. I don't know what really came over me, all I know is that I almost shot Gregory in the fucking face. Right in front of Negan and  _everybody."_ she said, putting her face in her hands and fighting the urge to cry.

Jackson sighed, reaching over and putting his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. She started crying, hiding her face in his shirt and all he could do was hold her and pray she felt better soon. 


	16. 15.

**THERE WAS SILENCE, AND YET, THEY FOUND THEMSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION AS MANY TIMES BEFORE.**

Negan watched her quietly from his couch. She was quiet; twisting her hands and wishing she was anywhere else but here.

"I'm starting to think it's about time I keep you inside the walls."

Riley looked up, looking at him as if he were crazy, and maybe he was. "You can't be serious."

Negan sighed, moving to stand up, looking down at her with a serious expression. "I've got my hands tied here, sweetheart. First it was that stupid fuck at Alexandria, and then it was dumbass at Hillt-"

"What, are you saying it's my fault?"

"Not at all. What I'm saying is that I think it's best if you don't go to any other communities.. At least for a while."

Riley huffed, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "Fine."

Negan walked over to the counter, grabbing the bottle of whiskey and pouring a little into a glass. He leaned against the table, taking a sip and watching as Riley set her favorite pillow on her lap, hugging it to her chest. It dawned on him that he should probably ask how she was doing.

"What's going on inside that head of yours?"

_Good enough._

"I'm trying to cope with the fact that I actually wanted Gregory dead."

Her voice was so soft, so broken and different that it actually made his chest ache. He sighed quietly, agreeing with her but he had his reasons and Gregory never gave him trouble before.. But her of all people having these thoughts was a cause for concern, but he should have known something was being awakened in her with what happened with Thomas.

"You wanted Thomas dead. I didn't see you batting an eye when I bashed his fucking head in."

"Yeah, because he was a terrible excuse for a human being."

Negan stared at her, before kneeling down to where he was in front of her.

"Don't make me reconsider going back there and killing the guy," Negan whispered, watching as she sniffed, avoiding his gaze. Negan reached forward, gripping her chin in his big hand and forcing her to look at him. "I don't quite think you're openly disagreeing with my decision, sweetheart, but I want you to stop pouting and realize that he's still alive.. Just gravely injured in a few places."

"I just.. I've never had these thoughts before. Until I met you."

Negan grinned, leaning back on his feet to watch her stare at him with a confused expression. "I guess I'm starting to rub off on you, Riley Taylor."

Against her better judgement, she smiled a little at the use of her name. "What's your last name, Negan?"

Negan chuckled, looking down before resuming his standing position. There was a moment where she actually thought he was going to tell her, but she should have known better when he just grinned at her and said, "I'll probably tell you one day, kid, Just not today."

Jackson anxiously waited, wringing his hands together when there was a knock on his door.

He stood up, walking over to it and opening up to find the woman of the hour. Riley brushed past him, moving to sit on his bed.

"Are you finally going to tell me?" he asked, already knowing the other four knew, him being the only exception. It didn't bother him too much, considering one was her brother and the other two have known her for so much longer.. Despite the fact that they had slept together and they were sort of dating.. Phoebe probably got to her first.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here."

"Good, so tell me."

Riley cleared her throat, simply saying, "Gregory told me that it would  _'be a shame if something were to happen to me'_  if I didn't tell him about Negan and I."

Jackson frowned, completely confused, yet infuriated at the same time. "Wait, why would he think there was something going on?"

"Who the hell knows, half of the time I don't even know where we stand. One minute he's friendly and the next he's yelling at me."

Jackson's foot began to bob nonstop; a habit of his when he tried to keep himself from doing something. This something was storming out to unleash his anger on a man many miles away.. Though it sounded like Gregory got his comeuppance.

"Jackson?"

"Huh?" he asked, snapping out of his daze and focusing in on her face. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I asked if you were okay.. You seem kind of pale."

"Don't worry about me,  _I_ should be worried about you.. And I am."

Riley shook her head, picking at her fingernails.. She wondered if she could convince Simon or Dwight to get her some nail polish, especially since it seemed she wouldn't be going on any runs any time soon. It might be weird, but having painted nails always made her feel empowered, especially if it were a bold color. Right now, she was feeling down and wanted a little pick me up that wasn't alcohol.

"I should go," Riley said, standing up. "It's almost curfew and Negan's already upset with me enough as it is."

"Stay with me tonight," Jackson said, taking her warm hand in his. "We'll be on the down low, the curfew thing is just to keep people from being outside."

Riley smiled a little, patting his hand with her free one. "Maybe some other time, I've been wanting to cuddle with Bailey for a while now."

Jackson smiled, looking up at her, "I guess that's a good enough excuse for me."

He stood up, easily towering over her. "Kiss goodnight?"

She wasn't sure why it happened, but his question made her think of Negan. How he was always getting close to her;  _close enough that she could just reach up and kiss him if she wanted-_

_Stop._

Riley nodded, letting him do the work and accepted his kiss obediently.. Though her mind was really on someone else.

___

It has been a month since the incident at Hilltop.

A month since Riley was allowed to leave the walls of the Sanctuary, and a month since Daryl attempted to escape.

Riley was currently sitting in front of his cell, a pistol in her lap and bored out of her mind. Dwight had brought her a record player down, along with a few vinyl's and she had yet to turn it on. Daryl was being quiet, so quiet that she actually had to check a few times and make sure he was still in there.

Like always, she immediately began to feel paranoid. There were no windows in the cell, but she had this fear that he'd pull a  _Shawshank Redemption_ and dig a hole through the wall and escape.. Negan would definitely kill her then, no irony in that statement whatsoever.

Riley stood up, holding the rifle in her defensive stance and went to the door, sliding it open. He had moved; now sitting up with his arms wrapped around his legs, looking up and squinting when the soft light interrupted the darkness of the cell.

"S-sorry," she said, mentally smacking herself for apologizing to him. "You're just.. So quiet."

Daryl grunted, shrugging and picking at his nails. He was beyond dirty, and though it was gross, it somehow fit him. Riley wasn't sure what happened, but something went down between him and Dwight, resulting in him being on house arrest for two days now. She wanted to ask, but knew it was pointless drama that she was better off not knowing.

Riley sighed, going to shut the door before he spoke up, his voice scratchy and he was back to mumbling. "'s true? What you did to Gregory?"

Riley frowned, looking down at him, "What did I do to Gregory?"

"You were gonna kill 'em, that's what I heard."

"That was a long time ago. It's done and over with."

Daryl shrugged, looking up at her and she could have sworn he was looking at her with curiosity. "I always thought you were one of the good ones. Quiet, at least."

"You don't know me, Daryl," she whispered, "I don't know you either, and all I know is that you're in here for a reason and I'm not supposed to feel sorry for you."

"I can see it, you. Negan's no good for ya, he's twisted. You're starting to become more like him an' ya don't even realize it."

Riley shook her head, already stepping back and shutting the door. "You're wrong, I'm nothing like him."

___

Daryl's words had hung over her head the rest of the day.

It was stupid, really. He didn't even know the whole story, let alone anything about her, and for him to tell her something she had been stressing over lately only made it worse. She was right, the incident was long ago and nobody ever brought it up but that didn't mean she didn't think about it all of the time.

Not long after their brief conversation, Dwight returned from a short run and dismissed her, asking if she had listened to any of the music. She lied, telling him she'd love to borrow it again if he'd let her. He agreed, before sending her on her way.

Now, she was walking the perimeter, even though she was technically off duty. She returned her pistol to Tyson, and he had given her a small smile when she handed it over and hastily left..  _Seems like he can actually trust me to bring shit back, now._

October had always been one of her favorite months; one, because of the weather. It was cool, which meant it was time to break out the hoodies and cute little hats and scary movies on television. Her best friend always threw the best Halloween parties, and they'd always go all out when it came to dressing up, and Riley missed being able to do that. The thought of her friend, Taylor, made her heart hurt.

Two, it was a family tradition to go out and get pumpkins and carve them the week leading up to Halloween. Her family had always teased her; claiming that she was cheating when it came to carving out some kickass artwork on every pumpkin she received. It always made her giddy when she set the finished project out on their front porch before lighting it up with a candle.

But, since they could no longer do that, she always tried thinking of the month like all of the others. Riley wanted to push every fond memory of October out of her mind so she wouldn't get worked up. It always seemed to work, but there was something preventing her from forgetting about it tonight, and it was upsetting her.

It wasn't long before Riley found herself sitting in front of the garden. It was dinner time, and mostly everyone was inside eating, since curfew has been moved because of time changes. It was getting darker an hour or so earlier than normal and Negan demanded they  _'don't be stupid fucks and not to fuck shit up.'_ Riley's appetite had vanished completely, and all she really wanted was to lay back, earbuds in and to just block out the entire world for a little bit.

One perk, though, was that Negan finally allowed his beard to grow back.

Now that it was getting colder, he allowed the facial hair to grow back out, much like Avi who started investing in products to help carefully shape his beard so it didn't get too out of hand. Riley laughed at him, saying he should ask Negan for advice, in which he told her to fuck off and he could take care of himself.

There was a light gust of air, and the smell of Negan's cologne wafted over her, making her eyes close and inadvertently basking in the scent.

"It's dinner time, kid. Your ass should be inside, I bet your boyfriend is cooking up a storm in there."

Riley opened her eyes, seeing Negan as he slunk down beside her, putting Lucille carefully between his legs. Her heart began to race, and she swallowed, feeling his leather clad arm brush against hers. "I'm not hungry."

"Mhm, you should probably get something small for later, then. Commissary is still open."

"I'm okay, really." Riley said, brushing him off and staring at the growing vegetables sitting in front of them some ways off.

Negan watched her quietly, observing her long eyelashes and noting how soft her skin looked. He swallowed, looking ahead and attempting to distract himself with thoughts of dead animals and his mother-in-law who always pissed him off in the other world they no longer lived in.

"It's been a few days since we've talked, sweetheart. You been avoiding me?"

Riley shook her head, noting that it's been exactly two days since they last spoke. Unless, of course, you count him barking orders at anyone within 20 meters of him, including her.

It was awkwardly silent, before Negan sighed loudly, tapping Lucille against the ground beneath the bench they were currently occupying. "I don't know about you, kid, but I need a fucking drink."

Riley frowned, looking up at him as he stood up. "What, stressful day, Negan?"

He grinned at the use of his name, looking down at her with a hint of mischief in his eyes. "You wanna hear about it, Riley? How about you move that pretty little ass upstairs to my room?"

Normally, she'd remind him she was with Jackson, and he should watch what he says to her, but this time she let it slide. "Don't say it like that, it sounds weird." she said, standing up to follow him.

When they reached his room, Riley took her usual chair and shrugged out of her jacket, placing it on the back of the chair while Negan reached into one of his cupboards, pulling out the bottle of unopened sparkling juice that he had been saving for her. He poured her a glass, before getting a glass of whiskey for himself.

Riley looked up, jumping when he had held the glass out to her. She took it, not having seen what he had given her until she sniffed it, feeling the bubbles go up her nose. "Holy shit, where'd you get this?"

Negan grinned, sitting down on the couch, leaning back before sighing comfortably. "I've had it for a few months, asked Simon to find a bottle for me. You like that shit, right?"

Riley nodded eagerly, bringing it up to her lips and taking a sip.  _It's sooooo good._

"This is great, Negan, oh my God."

He grinned, taking a sip of his own drink before leaning forward and setting it on the coffee table in front of them. "You've mentioned it to me before, I haven't forgotten."

"I guess I needed this.. Though it won't get me drunk, it works."

"You want the good stuff, sweetheart? There might be some fancy ass girly drinks around here somewhere if you're that desperate."

"Shut up, that's not funny."

Negan grinned, "Sure, kid."

Riley grinned, also setting her glass down and leaning back, watching as he continued watching her with an overly amused expression.

"Did you really have a bad day, or was that just an excuse to get me here?"

Negan shrugged, licking his bottom lip and the action made Riley look away, remembering Jackson. "I don't have to work hard to get a ladies attention, Riley. I could have asked any of my wives to be here."

"Don't talk about them, please."

Intrigued, Negan raised his eyebrow, watching her with interest. "Jealous, there?"

"N-no, but.."

"But?"

_oh, fuck_

"Wanna run that by me again, Riley?"

"Mhm, no, I'm good."

"Come on, sweetheart! It's not hard, not hard at all."

"I'm pretty sure I've already told you my feelings about it, Negan." Riley said, hiding her smile. "I think your ego is so big that you've forgotten."

Negan's lips twitched, "You're lucky that I like you so much, kid."

"I know, I know, if I were anyone else.."

He shrugged, suddenly becoming restless. "Tell me, sweetheart.. Because I'm honestly curious."

Riley grabbed her juice, taking a few chugs and before she knew it the glass was empty. Negan grinned, standing up and grabbing it from her without having to ask. Riley watched him go, and this time he made sure to give her a little more than before.

"What do you want to know?"

Negan set the glass down, drumming his fingers against the counter top and debating on if he really wanted to ask her. It sounded okay in his head, but now that he had to say it out loud was extremely awkward.

"Why Donovan?"

Riley looked at him, his back to her and she was frustrated that she couldn't see his face. His tone was dry, but she could tell he was fighting not to say anything else.

"Negan, do we really have to talk about this right now?"

He sniffed, turning around to look at her. He grabbed her glass, slowly making his way over, not once breaking eye contact. Riley swallowed, unable to read what could possibly be going on in that head of his.

"Yeah, we do."

He held his hand out, offering her the glass and Riley hesitated in taking it. When she did, he dropped his hand and moved to grab his own, downing it all in one gulp. Riley winced, having not tried whiskey and she'd imagine it wouldn't be easy going down.

"I don't understand what you want me to say.."

Negan shrugged, taking the bottle of whiskey and bringing it over, setting it on the coffee table in front of them. "I'm just curious as to why you chose him over me."

Riley blinked, shocked, "You're kidding me, right?"

"Or maybe I just want to hear you explain why, again."

She sighed heavily, "Negan, I can't just be another wife to you. Y-you know that."

He was silent, a slightly pained look on his face and as much as she hated what he was doing, she wanted to wipe that frown right off his face. "You'd want me if they weren't around, is that right?"

Riley was quiet, looking down at the contents of her glass and biting her trembling lip. "That doesn't matter, it's not going to happen."

"We're not going to get past this ever, are we?"

"It doesn't seem like it."

"What a shame.."

"Can we talk about something else, please?"

Negan sat down, unscrewing the cap and filling his glass to the brim. One little twitch and it would spill out. He didn't care, though, bringing it to his lips and taking a small sip. "Okay, and what would that be?"

"Anything but my choice in boyfriends."

"Okay, how about this," Negan said, licking his bottom lip and inadvertently causing her to sweat. "I'm thinking that it's about time to lift that little ban on your whereabouts."

Riley perked up, some of her drink spilling on her clean pant leg. "Are you serious?"

Negan nodded, looking anywhere but her. "Yep. I think I've kept you in here long enough.. There's a run tomorrow, you in?"

"Yes, of course!" Riley said, excited and nervous all at the same time. "I've been going crazy sitting in here, it's such a relief.."

Negan nodded, "I bet, kid.. I bet."

___

In the morning, Riley came out, dressed in a new pair of jeans, boots, and a red t-shirt, backpack slung over her shoulder. It was a few minutes after eight thirty and she had eaten a few bites of a banana before deciding she was too hyped to eat anything.

The sun was shining, much too bright, but it was already proving to be a beautiful day and she was excited to get out of here, whether they were going ten minutes out or two hours, it didn't matter. She was ready.

"Good morning, sunshine," Negan said, a southern drawl in his tone that made her giggle a bit. "You ready to hit the road?"

Riley turned around, seeing Negan and only Negan standing behind her. He had a backpack slung over his shoulder, Lucille being twirled carelessly beside his leg.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, stepping on her tiptoes to look over his shoulder. Dwight, Simon, Laura, anyone.

"It's just us, kid.. Hope you have some clothes in there, we may be gone all night."

Riley nodded, testing the weight of her bag. "I always bring extra clothes.. Just in case, you know?"

"Of course.. Come on, we have the Chevy today."

Negan led her across the way, passing by the fence full of walkers that were currently being attended by four or so people. It seemed that most of the Sanctuary was still asleep, which was odd considering it was never this empty at almost nine in the morning.

She was surprised though, when the Chevy actually turned out to be a Cobalt. It was a smaller car, but since it was only the two of them she figured it would be big enough. Riley really had no idea what they were out searching for.

Negan opened the passenger door for her, kindly taking her bag and tossing it in the back seat with his own. Riley checked her gun, finding a full chamber and her knife was attached to her thigh. Perfect.

___

The car ride was silent the first hour or so, not even a CD was playing.

Riley sighed, tapping her fingers against her thighs and finally tore her gaze from the outside world to settle on Negan. He had his left arm propped on the door, his fingers spread out along his forehead and staring at the road in front of them. He looked bored shitless.

"How much farther?"

"Not much, sweetheart.. Just a few more miles."

"How do you know where we're going without a map?"

Negan grinned, pressing down on the gas, making Riley lurch against her seat when the car picked up speed. "We've been on this route a few times, one of the other outposts had headed out this way not too long ago and found a shit ton of places to scavenge.. got a house or two to cover."

"Can I say something? Without you threatening to iron my face?"

"Depends on what you're wanting to ask."

Riley chewed on her lip, "Remember when you killed.. Augustus, that night?"

Negan nodded, tightening his grip on the wheel. He couldn't forget that night, for many different reasons. "Of course I do, what about it?"

"You said that we could come back with you, or you could leave us alone but we provide stuff for you.. did you mean that, when there was only four of us with a dog?"

Negan stayed quiet, swallowing and keeping his eyes on the road. He thought that she might bring that up, somewhere along the line the more they collected from the three other communities, but now that it was out in the open he struggled to answer it.

The truth of the matter was that he would have killed them all had they refused.. Kept the dog, maybe.. And kept her alive, for sure.

Riley had his attention from the moment he saw her, and he had been fully prepared to face her wrath after the other three were put down. At the time he had considered that they weren't at fault for their leaders sin, so killing the others would be unfair.. After seeing the fear in her eyes, though, he scrapped the idea of killing them no matter what they decided. Even though it didn't matter, they accepted his invitation anyway.

"I'm sure you three would have managed. The prick would have died, anyway. Nothing would have convinced me otherwise."

"And what if we weren't able to meet your demands, what would have happened?"

Negan frowned, finally breaking contact and looking over at her. "Where is all of this coming from, sweetheart?"

"I just.." she began, nervously scratching her arm, "We scavenge from other places all of the time, I just wonder why we bother the other communities when we're perfectly capable of providing for our own."

Negan felt a burst of mild anger, but managed to keep it on the down low. "There's reasons, kid. All I'm going to tell you is that if they provide for us, we don't kill them."

"I guess that answers my other question, then."

"What other question?"

Riley laughed; the sound dry, "If we couldn't meet your demands we would be dead. That's really nice of you, Negan."

"Don't make too much noise, I don't need some asshole coming out and biting you."

"How sweet of you." Riley mumbled, kicking an old, dusty pillow across the room. It landed with a thud against the wall before sliding onto the floor. "We already cleared the place."

"I don't need the attitude, kid."

Riley rolled her eyes, twirling her knife in her hand and walking into the kitchen of the two story house, opening the first cupboard. Negan had pulled boxes out of the trunk, telling her to fill them up with as much shit as possible and they'd load everything when they were done. It was empty, so she closed it and moved onto the second.

There was a half bath right next to the living room, which was where Negan was opening the medicine cabinet. There was a brand new box of band-aids, some used ointment, and multiple bottles of prescribed drugs. Negan got a close look at a few, not having heard of any of them but he knew Carson could find them useful. He tossed everything into his box, excluding the ointment that was oozing out a crusty orange.He set the box on the toilet lid, kneeling down to search the cabinets underneath the sink. There was some cleaning supplies, most of them being empty but there was a brand new bottle of Lysol that still had the protective plastic on the lid. He rubbed his beard, standing up to go get another box to separate the supplies.

Riley was tossing canned food into hers, her nose wrinkling when a broken can of Spaghetti-O's attracted the attention of multiple fly's. The smell was horrid and she made sure not to grab anything else that could possibly be contaminated before moving on to the next.

Negan moving at the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked over, seeing him carrying a load of cleaning supplies and dumping them into a box. He looked up, seeing her watching him and Riley's cheeks flushed, causing her to look away quickly and him to grin.

"How's it going in there, beautiful?" He asked, purposely using that word because he knew it would make her uncomfortable. Despite the fact she was another man's girlfriend, that would never stop him from flirting with her and trying to weasel his way into those pants of hers.

"It's going fine, Negan."

He stood up, kicking the box to the side before joining her, gesturing to the drawers under the sink on the other side of the kitchen, "You look into any of these yet?"

Riley shook her head, closing the door to another empty cupboard. "No, I'm just now finishing up in this side."

Negan nodded, searching through to find hand towels, cooking utensils, and shards of broken glass in every drawer. He frowned, wondering how all of the glass got in there.

It took them a while, but they finally got the first floor done. Negan sighed, plopping down on the couch after carrying all of the boxes to the car and putting them into the trunk. They had just enough room left to check the first floor of the next house, but it was mid afternoon now and they both needed a rest.

Riley was curled up in an arm chair, napping. She had told him she just wanted to sit for a few minutes once they finished filling the last box, and before he knew it he was ready to load the car, only to find she had fallen asleep. Negan didn't have the heart to wake her, let alone move her to the couch where she could spread out.

When he came back in, he had locked the door. The blinds were drawn closed, and there was a slight chill to the air that even his leather jacket couldn't ignore. Negan decided that they would just stay there for the night and pick up the next house in the morning, even if that meant they had to stay over for a second night before heading home.

As he lay there, dozing off, he heard Riley shuffle on her chair. He ignored it, figuring she was just changing positions. His curiosity was peaked, however, when a soft mewl broke through her lips and he could have sworn he heard her sigh.

Negan lifted his head, squinting at her to find that her cheeks were a bright red, and her fingers were absentmindedly stroking the exposed skin of her belly, as her shirt had ridden up her torso a bit. He watched, transfixed as she seemed to be dreaming about something.. Interesting.

_Yeah, something interesting that involves a guy other than you._

Negan laid back down, now grumpy and he had just missed her when she sighed, her hand dropping to her side and her cheeks returning to their natural color. He was silently fuming over his thoughts, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was insanely jealous of that Donovan kid.

And he was going to get her into bed with him, whether she was in a relationship or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, back to square one- Negan can't seem to shake the idea of her having a boyfriend.. Lots of shit happening with them next chapter, hope you enjoyed!!


	17. 16.

_"We are all like the bright moon, we still have our darker side."_

_\- Kahlil Gibran_

 

**WHEN RILEY WOKE UP SOMETIME LATER, THERE WERE OIL LAMPS LIT AND LITTERED AROUND THE ENTIRE DOWNSTAIRS.**

She sat up, finding an old blanket draped over her. There was a small fireplace that she hadn't noticed before built into the wall, gently lit and the warmth was extremely comfortable.

"About fucking time, sweetheart. I was starting to think you had passed the fuck out."

Riley's eyes were groggy, so she reached up and rubbed the sleep away. Negan was chilling on the couch, a bottle of beer in his hand. Riley frowned, perking up to take a better look. "Where in the hell did you get that?"

Negan shrugged, gesturing towards the ceiling, "The upstairs had quite the selection."

Riley nodded, pushing her hair out of her face. "I thought we never go upstairs?"

"And where in the hell did you hear that?"

"Just a few of the guys.. And, to be fair, we  _didn't_ look up there."

"Well, I did. Trust me, kid. We didn't miss anything."

They were eating dinner when the sun finally went down for the night.

Dinner, being half a box of brown rice and beans. Negan had instructed one of the other guys to put together their food for the next few days, and so far he couldn't complain. There were a few cans of fruit, which he undoubtedly knew that Riley would enjoy later if she had a sweet tooth.

It was uncomfortably silent between the two; Riley sprawled out on the couch with her plastic bowl and Negan sitting on the floor, carelessly stirring what was left of his meal with his spoon. The only sounds being the crackling of the fire and the occasional sigh from one of the two adults.

He's had enough.

Negan set his bowl down, huffing and catching the attention of Riley, whose eye's flickered up to observe him.

"I'm going to be frank, kid. This is boring the fucking shit out of me."

Her perfect eyebrow rose, making a face at him. "Oh, I'm sorry?"

"It's either we get busy or get out of this fucking house."

Riley spit out her rice, immediately losing her appetite. "Seriously, Negan?"

He stood up, reaching for his leather jacket that was draped over the chair Riley had fallen asleep in. "Yeah, I'm serious. Come on, let's go for a little ride."

She watched him quietly, not believing that he was actually going to 'go for a ride'. It's the fucking apocalypse, some resources need to be conserved. "You're joking.."

"Do I look like I'm fucking joking? Get your ass up, I'm serious."

Riley sighed, shaking her head and standing up to fetch her shoes. While she did that, Negan put out the fire, taking a few minutes to stare into the flame before it diminished. Lucille was casually leaning against the brick, her wood gleaming from the light of the flame and he grinned, picking her up and giving her a nice swing.

Riley stood up once her boots were on, watching him give another quick, well calculated swing that would crack someone's head open for sure. He turned, giving her a grin and she swallowed, her eyes falling to the bat.  _It's Negan, you trust him with your life._

"Why the face, sweetheart?"

Riley shrugged, dropping her eyes and going to her backpack, picking it up. "Nothing, I just think you're crazy for actually wanting to do this."

Negan dropped the subject, instead walking ahead to take the key from the little table by the door. "I never said I was sane."

There was a slight chill to the air when they stepped outside, going right through Riley's hoodie. The car was sitting in the driveway, filled with their findings and she almost felt guilty that he had to load everything by himself. He didn't give her shit, though, instead climbing into the car and starting it, putting on his seat belt only out of habit. Riley always buckled up, which he thought was cute considering he was one hell of a driver.

"So, where are we going, Negan?"

"Hell if I know," he said, looking at the fuel gage: twelve gallons left. "I want to clear my fucking head, and I don't want to leave you alone?"

Riley frowned, turning to look at him. It was dark, and she could barely make out his face, but she tried anyway. "Why? I can take care of myself?"

"You never know what the fuck is out there, Riley," he said, pulling out of the driveway and onto the road, running over piles of leaves, and maybe a few bodies. "Just humor me, okay?"

They were driving for a few minutes when Riley reached over, clicking on the radio out of curiosity. Negan gave her occasional looks, listening to the static on every station that were once filled with overrated pop songs and unbearable repeats. It was eerie, the sound of snow in the darkness as they drove along in silence, the headlights shadowing over the abandoned structures and streets.

"There's a few CD's in the glove department," Negan said, having enough of the static and reaching over, nudging her hand away and switching the input. "Every car has some, some more than others. Not too sure what's in here, though. A lot of them get switched out."

Riley reached up, turning on the dome light and opening the box. About six CD's were crammed inside, one slipping out and clattering to the floor. She winced, scooping it up and grabbing the other few.

"Metallica, Shaggy, Green Day.." she said, finding a few rap albums before coming to the last one..  _Beethoven_.

Riley chewed on her lip, peeking at him and tucking the Beethoven cd under her right leg, away from his view. Negan looked indifferent, glancing at the stack, "I don't care, just pick one."

She ended up choosing an 80's collection, having liking the decade and felt that it was a step closer to her old life; waking up Saturday morning to her mom blaring the 80's throwback station for a morning of cleaning.

Negan tapped his fingers on the wheel to most of the songs, his eyes focused on the road. His mind was swarming with thoughts of her, sleeping on that chair with her fingers stroking her skin. It was killing him to know if she was dreaming of something  _steamy,_ or maybe it was just a normal sleeping habit of hers that he hadn't noticed the few times she had slept in his room. Negan was an uncensored man, but asking her about it made him feel uncomfortable.

_Yeah, just give her another reason to avoid you._

"Can we turn on the heat?" Riley asked, her voice snapping him out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat, nodding and switching it on a lower setting, thankful that it was dark and she couldn't see the look of desire on his features. "Thank you." she said, leaning back into her seat and sighing in content.

When the last  _Duran Duran_ song ended, Negan reached over and flipped off the radio. Riley popped her head up, having been watching the sky as they drove and giving him a disapproving glance. "Hey, I was listening to that.."

"Too fucking bad," he said, taking a final turn, putting them on a dirt road. He drove for a few more minutes, not wanting to get too far out and they found themselves in the middle of nowhere; surrounded by grass, stars, and the moon. "Let's do a little sightseeing."

**___**

"You like Beethoven?" Negan asked, leaning against the driver's side door, hearing the soft melody of  _Moonlight Sonata_  playing through the speakers.

"I used to listen to him all of the time.. At least at night, when I couldn't sleep, or during the day if I wanted a quick nap. It's calming to me."

Negan wasn't all for classical music, but he couldn't lie, he was finding the soft piano soothing as hell. The only reason he knew it was Beethoven was because his mother was a pianist, and this was her favorite song to play on weeknights when Negan finally laid down to sleep. He remembers lying in bed, the bedroom door cracked and the soft sounds of his mother's piano lulling him to sleep.. At least the first five or so minutes of the song.

"I feel it, sweetheart." he said, the slight breeze ruffling her hair, making the her scent wash over him. He closed his eyes, mentally cursing and shifting a little. Riley didn't notice, only watching the sky with nothing but admiration.

"Everything just looks so.. clear." she said, breaking him out of his reverie. "It's really great, that some things can still be normal."

"Just about everything has went to shit, sweetheart.. Go outside at the Sanctuary every once in awhile, you'll get the same view."

"I can't. Curfew, remember?"

Negan shrugged, ignoring the scent of roses that washed over him with another gust of air. "What I don't know won't hurt me."

Riley grinned, shaking her head before wincing, shivering uncomfortably. Negan noticed, looking down at her and slipping his arm over her shoulder, making her freeze. "Wanna go back in the car?"

Riley found her voice, shaking her head and quietly replying with, "N-no, I'm okay.."

Negan didn't drop his arm, instead letting his fingers trace gentle outlines on her arm. Riley relaxed, returning her gaze back to the sky and looking for any cliche shooting stars or something. She was waiting for him to point out some kind of random constellation, making the situation oddly romantic and weird.. It didn't happen though, and little did she know Negan knew shit about Astronomy.. Not that she was complaining.

Mother nature seemed to be hell bent on getting them back inside, as the wind gradually grew worse. It wasn't terribly windy, but the temperature outside mixed in with the breeze was making it colder than it should be. Negan was fine, perfectly warm and he had been holding onto Riley, keeping her close as they went through two other songs. She insisted, though, that she was fine and refused to budge.

"At least take my jacket, then."

"Don't be stupid, you'll get cold."

"Like hell I will, just take the damn thing." Negan said, already starting to shrug out of it.

"Negan, really I'm-" she stopped, letting him drape it over her shoulders. Riley sighed, seeing no other point to continue and protest.

"You don't have to be so fucking difficult."

"I just don't want to be rude.." she said, further relaxing into his jacket.

"I'm fine, kid. I offered."

_jackson jackson jackson_

".. Your arm is still around me." she whispered after a few minutes.

"Yeah? Is it bugging you?"

Riley swallowed, feeling her heart stutter in her chest. "It's just.. Uh, I have-"

"A boyfriend, I fucking know." Negan said, sighing loudly and dropping his arm. "It's like a broken record with you, sweetheart. It's exhausting listening to it all of the time."

Riley glared, scooting away from him, "Okay, and it wouldn't be a huge deal if you didn't  _clearly_ have a thing for me!"

"I'm not talking about this."

Riley rolled her eyes, crossing her legs pretzel style and mumbling something he didn't quite catch.

"Want to run that by me again?"

"No, you're a jerk."

"I hope you're just not finding this out, Riley. It will be a _real_ disappointment."

"No, I guess I just chose to ignore it all this time."

Negan stood up, opening the car door and turning off the radio. Riley sat in the grass, suddenly feeling cold in his jacket and shrugged it off, letting it fall around her.

"Come on, let's go." Negan said, staring down at her with an unfriendly expression on his face.

"Why? It's a beaut-"

"Okay, then take out that knife of yours and help me kill those assholes before they chomp on one of us."

Riley looked up, seeing four walkers, heading towards them, growling and hungry. She stood up, feeling her pocket to find it was gone. Negan was preoccupied, grabbing Lucille from the backseat.

Luckily she found it in the grass. She picked it up, rushing over and kicking the nearest one with all her might when it got a little too close to Negan. It mauled at her, swiping his dirty, curled fingers at her arm and narrowly missed. Riley took the opportunity to stab it in the head, hearing Negan give a shout of enjoyment before the sound of Lucille meeting skull made her flinch.

She heard him call out her name, right before a tremendous weight fell on her shoulders, quite literally, and she fell forward. Riley could hear the snapping of jaws right by her ear, and a tooth brushed against her skin before-

**CRACK**

Blood squirted into her hair, making her gasp and she felt the weight being pulled off of her and slammed into the ground next to her. Riley's lips were trembling, and her fingers that were once clenched around her handle of her knife were also shaking uncontrollably.

**CRACK**

**CRACK**

**CRACK**

Negan delivered one too many hits to the walker, grunting in anger before pulling away, panting and pissed. Riley hadn't moved from her spot, the smell of rotting flesh and blood assaulting her nose and making her want to vomit.

"Riley? Come on, sweetheart.." he said, dropping Lucille onto the ground, going over and gently gripping her shoulders. "Let's go home."

Riley was silent, unsteadily standing up and looking at the walker who had come so close to biting her. It was a female; white hair and half the skin of her chest was torn off, revealing her ribs.. It was nasty.

Negan got her into the car, even buckling her in before cupping her chin in his hand, turning her attention to him. Riley's eyes were blank, watching him blindly and he sighed, releasing her before getting in the driver's seat to go home.

___

It didn't come as any surprise when Riley was woken up later on by a rumble of thunder.

Lately, all it ever seemed to do was storm, which was odd considering it only ever rained this time of the year. Negan had fallen asleep after her, giving her the couch and him taking the arm chair, even though there were two bedrooms upstairs. Riley had walked in, plopped right on the couch, and that was it. She refused to move and Negan didn't feel safe leaving her down here all by herself.

Riley found herself continually touching her ear, the same one that the walker had brushed against. It seemed like the stupidest way to die; being bit in the ear, yet Negan probably would have just attempted to saw it off had she actually been infected.

_Oh yeah, the dumbass died after being bit in the ear. Her knife was covered in walker guts, so I couldn't cut it off. What a shame._

Riley shook her head, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. Her mind was clouded with all of these scary, life-altering thoughts and it was freaking her out. She stood up, going over to the oil lamp that had been blown out just hours ago, when she had fallen asleep and Negan couldn't stay awake any longer.

It took a few tries, but she ended up lighting it and turned it on the lowest setting, before going back to her spot on the couch and sitting, curling the blanket around her. Negan took a deep breath, his head lulling to the side and she froze; her eyes stuck on his face as if his eyes would fly open and he'd yell at her for being awake.. They didn't, though. He was still asleep.

By the time the storm rolled through, she was half asleep and leaning against the back of the couch.

Negan groggily sat up, groaning in frustration that mother nature was being a bitch and interrupting his sleep. The faint yellow light coming from the lamp made him frown, as he was sure he had turned it off before falling asleep.

His eyes fell onto Riley, who had just opened her eyes when he began to stir. She was too late in shutting them, though. He had already seen. "I know you're awake, Riley."

Riley sat up, tired in the eyes. "I can't sleep."

"And you're shit at acting like it, too."

"Go to sleep, please. I don't want to talk about this."

Negan sighed, standing up and stretching out the kinks in his joints.  _Fuck, I'm too old for this shit._

He walked over to the couch, picking up the blanket on the unoccupied side and sat down, leaning his back on the rest.

"I'm not moving until you fall asleep." Negan said, his voice firm and leaving no room for argument. Riley didn't respond, only staring ahead at the light cream colored wall and wishing he'd just go away and leave her alone.

_So much for tapping that ass._

Negan cleared his throat, mentally smacking himself for being such a dick.  _The girl could have been bitten for Christ sakes._

The sound of her gentle sobbing caught his attention. He looked over, seeing the one hand covering her eyes and the other fist pressed to her forehead, trembling. This was the first real sign of emotion he had seen since the incident. Negan swallowed, reaching over and touching her shoulder, not flinching when she jerked away.

"Just stop, please." Riley said, crying and her words slightly slurred. Negan dropped his arm, only trying to comfort her and nothing more.

"You can trust me, Riley. I don't mean any ha-"

"Just don't."

Negan bit his tongue, resisting the snapback he wanted to toss her way.  _Fucking hell, you try to-comfort someone and they shit on you_.

"I don't know what your deal is, sweetheart, but I'm just trying to be a fucking gentleman and help you out."

Silence.

"Okay, ignore me. But I'm not fucking moving until you lay your ass down and go to sleep."

Riley huffed, wiping the tear streaks from her cheeks before adjusting herself, laying on her side and curling up. Negan decided to assist in covering her up, wishing he would have thought to bring a spare blanket from home. At least it would be cleaner than this rag she was forced to cover with.

They didn't move for minutes, yet neither were even remotely close to falling back asleep. Riley had long stopped crying, and now just felt as if she were going to go crazy.

"Maybe you were right."

Negan looked over, relieved to hear her voice. "About what?"

"That I should just stay inside the walls.. I'm bad luck, an accident waiting to happen."

"I wouldn't go that far.."

"No, you were right. I could have gotten my ear bitten off, and probably would have died. This wouldn't have happened if I didn't leave."

"It happened because I wanted to go out. It's my fault, not yours."

".. Okay, now  _you're_  being stupid."

"Excuse me?" Negan asked, sitting up straighter. "You want to repeat that?"

"I should have been paying better attention, it's my fault."

"Look kid, we can sit here and argue about this all night, but we're not going to. Just drop it."

Riley pouted, turning to her other side and burying her face into the couch. It smelled like her, which was better than the original musty smell.. Then again she did douse it in some perfume earlier when Negan was occupied.

Negan adjusted himself, feeling his back already starting to ache. Even his couch back home had better support than this piece of shit. "You know what, fuck it. We're sleeping upstairs, grab whatever shit you need and let's go."

Riley stood up, taking her pillow and Negan walked to the lamp, picking it up before leading the way upstairs.. Riley peeked behind her, seeing Lucille vanish in the darkness once Negan started up the steps.

Negan had told her there wasn't a whole lot upstairs, and he was telling the truth. The first floor was somewhat spacious, but it wasn't anything too fancy. The upstairs was way smaller, and by looking at only the front of the house, you'd have no idea.

There were two small bedrooms, both with torn wallpaper and dust everywhere. They passed the one nearest to the bathroom, where a poster for  _High School Musical_ was just barely visible from the light of the lamp.. Another quick look showed Riley it was once a young kids room. She looked away, not wanting to go in there.

Negan placed the lamp on the dresser, adjusting the light to a slightly higher setting than before. Riley tore back the sheets to the bed, checking for any unwanted visitors or blood stains. Negan checked for bed bugs, making her laugh a little on the inside but otherwise didn't comment as he felt along the mattress and even went as far as picking it off the frame to peek.

"It looks good, hop in."

Riley didn't respond, only avoiding him where he pulled back the sheet for her to climb in, instead going around the bed and sitting on the left side.

Negan huffed, rolling his eyes and doing his best not to give her lip. Riley's hair was the only thing he could see by the time she got settled in.

When he climbed in beside her, still keeping a distance, he reached over and shut off the light completely. It was completely dark and Riley was staring off into space, seeing the shadows playing tricks on her.

"Go to sleep, Riley."

Riley didn't respond, only cuddling further into the sheets and doing her best to block him out. She had to admit, though, that being under the sheets with him was extremely warm.. and comfortable.

"I've always been afraid of thunderstorms."

"What?"

"I've always had a childhood fear of thunderstorms, at night.. Ever since I was a kid." she whispered, her voice soft.

"I guess tonight isn't your night, then." Negan responded.

"I wish we had music."

"What the fuck is music going to do for you?"

Riley turned her head, and he could just feel her glare burning into his skull. "Music helps me relax. It could help lull me back to sleep."

Negan scoffed, not caring when she mumbled something and turned away from him, hiding her face just as a rumble of thunder shook the house.

"I'll sing for you kid, but I'm shit at it."

Riley giggled, making his lips twitch into a half smile. "It's okay, just go to sleep."

Negan stared at the ceiling, the sound of her laugh making his mind go into overdrive. The sound was so innocent and cute that it made him want to gag.

He looked at her, just to see that she was still turned away from him, breathing softly. His hand itched to reach out and touch her; just a simple gesture that would show he truly cared for her wellbeing.

He did, though. Eventually.

Her exposed shoulder was soft to the touch. His large hand caressed the skin, his fingertips running along her flesh. Riley didn't move, but he knew the sound of her sucking in a breath when he heard it.

Negan moved, using his free arm to support himself. A crackle of thunder was heard in the distance, and it was then that he knew the storm was moving away. It was moving away and soon she wouldn't need his company.

"Negan.."

"Shh," he said, scolding himself for being a pussy. "Just relax, it's all going to be alright." He said, moving to where he was leaning over her body. In the darkness, he found her eyes. They were wide, and confused, watching as he grew closer than she would ever allow.. At least in bed.

"I can't do this to him.."

"Has he ever comforted you at night when you couldn't sleep?" Negan taunted, looking her up and down before settling back on her eyes in the darkness.

Riley swallowed, only having stayed over with him a handful of times. "I-I'm not going to answer that."

"Of course you won't, because you know I'm right.." he said, before pressing his lips to her ear, "Just trust me, sweetheart."

And with that, he kissed her.

Her lips were soft.

Negan had never kissed lips like hers before.

They were so soft, so full, that they gave even Sherry a run for her money. Riley was hesitant, which wasn't a surprise, since he already expected it. His hands went to her waist, squeezing underneath her before he lifted her up to try removing the sleeveless shirt.

Her mind was all over the place, but it seemed that the main subject matter was Negan.

She couldn't lie, she always imagined kissing him. What he'd be like, how it would feel, how it would taste.. Negan was her one true desire, but it was so forbidden it hurt.

Negan worked his way down her belly, his lips attaching to her soft, tanned skin.

"Negan, we can't."

"Tell me no; a firm no, and I'll stop."

Riley was quiet.

He grinned, before getting back to work.

_"Riley-"_

"Negan.."

_"-Riley-"_

"Mhm.."

"Wake the fuck up, kid."

Riley jolted awake, her hands going up to her shirt on instinct. Luckily, it was still on and her breasts weren't exposed.

... She was in a bed, the same room from in the dream. Negan was standing over her, a look on his face that was pure bewilderment. They did move upstairs from the living room, but..

"You were having quite the dream there, kid.. Wanna share?" Negan asked, a smirk forming on his face. Riley shook her head, feeling her heart racing in her chest.

"No.. Excuse me." she said, crawling off the bed and heading downstairs. Negan only watched her go, before turning around and observing the bed where they had slept the past few hours. He already knew what was going on. He woke up, the same look on his face as she did and out of breath.

Downstairs, her backpack and Negan's jacket, along with Lucille, was waiting by the door. Riley searched through her bag, pulling out her jeans and a clean tank top. Just by the temperature in the room, she could tell it was warmer than usual outside, despite it being October.

The sound of his footsteps made her stand up, "Don't come down, I'm changing!"

She heard him sigh, "Come on, kid. Ain't nothing I haven't seen before."

"Just stay up there, please!"

Negan sighed heavily, but decided to humor her anyway.

When she was done, he came down the rest of the way, watching as she stuffed her pajamas back into her bag. "If you want some breakfast, eat now. I want to take you back home."

"I thought we had another house?"

"Yeah, that was before you almost lost an ear. It's time to go home."

"Okay, you have fun with that."

Negan gave her a look, but she didn't crack. It didn't surprise him, but he knew he should have at least tried. "Very funny, but you're not going off by yourself."

Because she was still flustered from her dream, she didn't push the subject further, not wanting to get all up close and personal with him.. Which is what he always did in a confrontation of sorts. She figured that if he wanted to go back, maybe it was the best idea.

___

"This is just mighty fucking dandy!"

The car stuttered to a stop, before the lights went off, along with the radio. Riley looked around, seeing they were still quite a long way from home. The only cars around were the ones pushed into a ditch on either side, therefore deeming them useless since the Saviors had cleared as many available cars as they could.

Negan angrily hit the wheel with his fists, before turning towards her, "Don't move out of that seat."

With that, he climbed out, leaving her alone. She rolled her eyes, seeing him open up the hood.

It was a few minutes until she heard him mutter a flurry of obscenities. He appeared around the car, opening the driver's side, "The engine is leaking oil, we need to stay in here. I radioed Simon and the others, they're going to be a while."

Riley sighed, putting her head against the rest, just happy they weren't about to blow up. "Well, what are we supposed to do now?"

Negan shut the door, settling back into the seat with an aggravated sigh. "We just have to sit here and wait until the help comes."

"Too bad the radio doesn't work."

Negan huffed, before turning and giving her a smirk, "How about you sing me a little song?"

".. What?"

"You heard what I said.. Sing to me, kid. I have a hunch that I might just  _enjoy_  it."

Riley swallowed, looking ahead. She was involved in the  _Symphonic_ choir at her school for all four years, so that had to count for something. Only issue was, she never sang a solo, let alone sing alone in front of anyone else besides in the car. Riley was a huge nerd when it came to organized nerd singing and theatre.

"What do you want to hear?" she asked, her voice soft.

He seemed to ponder for a moment, but his answer was unsatisfactory, "Surprise me, sweetheart."

_Great._

"Are you going to do it, or do I have to force it out of you?"

Riley glared at him, but like always, he only grinned and gestured with his hand for her to go on.

When she started singing a song he wasn't familiar with, he closed his eyes and listened. He wasn't aware of her musical background, but he found her voice to be cute and pure.

_"Kiss me goodbye, I'm Defying Gravity."_

After that line she paused, causing him to open his eyes and watch her. Her eyes were wide; looking at the dashboard and when he reached over and nudged her, her eyes found his and they looked confused.

"Why do you have that damn look on your face?"

"N-nothing, can I just.."

"No. Tell me what's up."

Riley chewed on her lip. His eyes were searching hers, but he was a smart guy. Negan could easily reach over and kiss those plump lips of hers, and he knew she secretly wanted him to.

He decided to take a different approach; one more to the point. "Wanna tell me about your dream? How about we start with that?"

"Its none of your business."

"How many times do I have to tell you that it is my business, especially when you're sleeping next to me writhing and moaning in your sleep?"

Riley paled, "I was not."

"Oh I fucking beg to differ, sweetheart."

"Even if I did, I was probably thinking of Jackson."

"But you're not certain."

"Of course not, I don't even remember it."

Negan didn't seem to believe her, and he was right not to.

"Can we just.. Stop talking?" she asked, giving him a look that made him roll his eyes.

"Sure, kid.. Sure."

"You're back!"

Riley startled, wrapping her arms around Starr, who had wrapped her in such a huge hug it was cutting off her air circulation. Riley patted her shoulder, before pulling back with a gentle smile. "I'm back!"

"About time, we were getting worried.. Where's the car?" Avi asked, after enveloping her in his own hug. His arm was draped around her shoulder, not wanting to let go after spending the last day and a half worrying about his baby sister.

"Well, we were driving back and I guess the engine starting leaking oil, we didn't have anything to fix it, so.."

"Jesus, all of these cars.."

Riley unintentionally tuned him out, allowing him to lead them away from the drop-off area to housing, where she wanted to shower and hop into bed after snuggling with Bailey.

When she arrived, she was disappointed to find the room empty. She was hoping at least Blaine was here; she needed another friendly face.. Her thoughts briefly went to Jackson, who was also MIA but she knew he wasn't aware of her return.

While she was in the shower, Negan was on the sixth floor, attempting to get lost in the touches of a favorite wife of his, Celina.

Her long, artificial nails ran up his arm, purposely grinding on his lap and making him grunt in retaliation. Negan hoped that she'd be a distraction.. So he wouldn't have to pine for the girl he had just spent the last thirty some hours with, already missing her smart ass mouth and very presence.

_Jesus, dude, you have it bad._

"You always smell so amazing." she sighed, attaching her lips to his neck. Negan didn't respond, instead grabbing her ultra thin hips and mindlessly letting her continue.. He was now realizing that this was a terrible idea and she needed to get her ass off of him.

When she plopped on the couch beside him, he stood up, ignoring the irate look she shot him. "What the fuck, Negan?"

"Don't raise your voice at me again! Get out."

"Seriously?? You were the one who told me to come in here! When I make a move you just push me off!"

"You're boring me, get the hell out of my face."

Celina stood up, but he knew she was nowhere near done yet. "What? You think I don't know what this is about? That  _all_  of us don't know what's going on?"

Negan went to his door, wrenching it open and holding his arm out for her to pass. She crossed her arms: standing her ground while pushing her breasts up, hoping he'd change his mind. "It's about that little blonde bitch you've been chasing like a lost puppy!"

"HEY! Watch your fucking mouth!"

"I'm not doing anything, because it's true! You haven't been giving us any attention, all you do is spend time with her when you're not out being a fucking boss man!"

"Don't make me have to rid of you myself.." Negan warned, his voice low, trying not to explode in her face, let alone become violent with her. He had never pressured or abused a single wife of his, but he was ashamed to say, if she kept bad mouthing Riley, she may be the first.

"You wouldn't dare." she said, bending down to snatch her light wool sweatshirt, before storming past him and heading off to her room. Negan sighed, angrily slamming the door, before going to the counter where he downed a glass of whiskey.

_Should have wrung her fucking neck!_

Negan downed a few more glasses, careful not to get a buzz. He wasn't looking to get shit faced, he needed to be on his game for another visit to Alexandria tomorrow with Rick the Prick. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a fucking headache, especially not after the night he had, and his failed attempt at getting in her pants.

Negan stared into his glass, watching as a bubble formed at the top of the amber colored drink, right before something in his head clicked.

_You never said there was a deadline.._

___

"Do I look realistic enough?"

Riley grinned, putting the last of her laundry in the basket, before turning around. "Yes, you're a splitting image."

"Bullshit, I'm not intimidating enough to be Negan."

"I don't know, maybe in a twenty some years.."

"Shut up," Blaine said, moving to grab a pillow from her bed, throwing it at her. Riley shrieked, dodging it just in time. Bailey barked, jumping down from Blaine's bed at all of the excitement.

After a small pillow fight, Blaine laughed, setting his pillow down before going to his drawer. He opened it, expecting to find his stash of water bottles, only to find none. "Huh.." he started, checking the other drawers, before standing up, "I'm going to get another pack from commissary, do you want anything?"

Riley shook her head, crawling into bed, "Nope. Just toss me a bottle when you get back."

"Will do." he said, before calling to Bailey and letting her walk out with him. The door gently shut.

After he was gone, she grabbed the worn copy of  _Harry Potter_ from her nightstand, deciding that it was the perfect time to unwind and read the first chapter before going to bed for the next.. twenty-four hours.

_shave and a haircut.. two bits._

Riley looked up, thinking that Blaine was back and had just forgotten the key. She stood up, setting the book down and opening the door with a smile, "You should really remember to.."

She paused at the sight of Negan.

The look on his face was terrifying and hard to read.

"N-Negan?"

He watched her quietly, his hand moving as if he had a lot to say but couldn't quite get it out. The thing that was most unsettling about him was never knowing what was going on in his head. Negan could be smiling on the outside, but on the inside, he was ten seconds away from putting a bullet in your brain.. Or vice versa, as terrifying as it is in it's own right.

"You.. You need to stop."

Riley frowned, "Stop what?"

"You just.. You need to stop messing with me."

Negan was tipsy, and she was starting to think he didn't do well tipsy. "You were drinking." She stated matter-of-factly, taking a step back, putting a distance between the two.

"I've treated you better than anyone else here.. Despite putting you in a cell and threatening your face with an iron, you've had it pretty good here, have you not?"

"Y-you've provided well.."

Negan nodded, his hand shaking and it took her till just now to realize he wasn't paired with Lucille. A white shirt and a black pair of sleep pants were the only thing remotely normal to his attire showed that maybe he was sober enough not to do anything stupid.

"I still don't understand what you're trying to do.."

Negan didn't respond. All he did was stare at her, still fidgeting. Riley's eyes peeked over his shoulders, hoping that something was keeping Blaine. She didn't want to have to explain why their leader was currently standing at their door so close to curfew and intoxicated.

Negan seemed to come to his senses, as he reached forward and gently cupped her cheek in his shaky hand. Riley watched; wide eyed and frozen as he leaned forward, pecking her lips.

It was a soft, quick kiss. It left her in shock when he pulled away, looking no different than when he came. His eyes left her, darting to the floor before turning and heading down the hall.

_Move.. Follow him!_

As if in slow motion, she stepped out into the hall, turning just in time to see him a hundred or so feet away from the stairs. Riley ran after him; her bare feet padding against the floor, making him turn around, eyes scrunched and wondering when she grabbed his arm, making him stop all together.

"What was  _that?"_ she asked, her tone forceful. Negan didn't look fazed, only shaking her hand off his arm. "You don't get to do that and just leave, you jerk!"

"Screw you, kid.. You know more than anyone I'm wrapped around your goddamn finger." Negan said, before reaching forward and grabbing her hair, pulling her close and kissing her again.

This time, it was deep. Their lips connected over and over, while his hand bunched in her wet, blonde hair. Riley's lips felt and tasted like heaven, and if he were being honest, all it did was make him want more of her.

Negan fought against the will to keep going, instead pulling away, his eyes meeting hers as they slowly separated. Riley looked up at him, her eyes watery from all of the different emotions coursing through her body.. Relief, excitement, regret, hate.. You name it, she felt it.

"I don't want to pine after you anymore," Negan said, finally taking a step back. The distance between them was restored, and the warmth she gave off was replaced with the chill of the air around them. "But I will, because all of this cheesy, romantic shit makes me feel somewhat normal again.. like before.. You have a choice to make, Riley.. it's either him, or me."

"You can't ask that of me.. You have wives. I'm not being a wife."

"I know.. It's a good thing I can be a patient man when I really want something."

Negan let his finger trail down her cheek, right before he left, leaving her standing there, all alone and confused.


	18. 17.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || you guys are amazing, I appreciate every single one of you. whether you're a returning reader or reading through for the very first time, thank you guys!! it means a lot to me.

_nobody said it was easy_

 

**TWO WEEKS HAVE PASSED, YET RILEY AND NEGAN WERE BACK TO NOT SPEAKING.**

Two weeks, and Riley had acquired an unusual visitor; a wife of Negan.

It all started one morning when she was sitting with Jackson on his day off, seated across from each other and eating their breakfast. Their other friends, including Riley's brother, were sitting at another table, watching the couple from afar. It was just the two of them in their own little bubble until it became a trio.

"Hi! Is anyone sitting here?"

Jackson looked up from his oatmeal, giving the olive-skinned woman an odd look, "Who are you?"

"I'm Celina! I decided to eat here today, it's such a beautiful day.."

Riley chewed on her lip, having seen this woman hanging with the other wives the few times she stepped into their headquarters with Negan. She had only ever talked to a few of them, but Celina wasn't one of them. Riley was positive that Celina hated her guts.

Celina didn't wait for an answer, taking a seat next to Riley. Her breakfast consisted of hot tea and a banana. Riley looked down at her delicious oatmeal and took a bite.

"So, you guys are a couple?" Celina asked, making a move to brush her shoulder length, black hair behind her. Riley got a whiff of her shampoo, and it was definitely better than what they were selling at Commissary.

Jackson's eyes met hers, where they shared a mutual smile. "Yeah, for a while now." he replied, watching as Riley seemed to ignore their guest, eating her food.

"You two are a cute couple, I'm surprised Riley hasn't staked her claim in public yet!"

"I-.. Huh?" Riley asked, giving her a confused look, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, have you? Usually when people hook up around here they make it known, you two seem to be very conservative."

Riley and Jackson shared a look.  _Is this girl serious?_

Riley hadn't seen a whole lot of PDA, but that didn't mean there wasn't any. She would share an occasional kiss with Jackson, whether it was before she went on a run or if he was heading in for his shift. They just never thought to do it during the day.

"I just wouldn't want anyone getting the idea that Riley's single, you know how people can be, right Donovan?" Celina said, her tone casual.

Jackson stared at her, trying to figure out what this was about. The whole ordeal was off from the get-go, and Jackson knew that Riley was a person he could trust. Celina had never said a word to him; he didn't even know she  _lived_  here, she was at the wives headquarters 24/7. For them to have this conversation, with  _her_  of all people, was suspicious as hell.

"Oh, look at the time! I have to go see Negan, he requested my service."

_Okay.. Ew?_

Celina left everything but her tea. It was awkwardly silent between the couple, even silent when someone walked by and stole the banana from her now abandoned tray. Jackson's mind was reeling, while Riley was fuming on the inside. She wasn't stupid.

"That was.. The weirdest shit I've ever heard," Jackson said after a while, pushing his empty tray away from him. "Do you know what that was about?"

Riley shook her head, standing up when he did, "No, I wouldn't have the slightest clue."

Riley walked with him, disposing of their trash and turning in their tray's, upset that she had to lie right to his face.

___

Some time later, Riley found herself at Negan's door, pounding on it with her fist. She didn't care if Celina was in there or not, this couldn't wait.

When he didn't answer, she knocked again, this time lighter than before. She had to go back on patrol in less than ten minutes; he needed to come out.

Inside, Negan sat on his couch, going over the latest inventory papers from Commissary. He knew who was on the other side, but the reason why was unclear to him. It could be because she noticed he was avoiding her, or maybe she wanted to change departments, or..

_She wants to be a wife_

Negan scoffed, knowing that he had a better chance of getting struck by lightning than having that happen. He knew she was on a short-fuse as it was, so he decided to use that to his advantage.

"Who is it?" he asked, not budging from his spot on the couch.  _Down to three packs of band-aids? Shit._

"It's me," Riley answered from the other side. The sound of her voice made him look up, pausing. "I need to talk to you."

"My office is closed, come back later."

"A-Are you serious? Open up!" she said, using her palm to knock.

"Come back later, kid! I mean it!" he snapped, chuckling to himself when she angrily mumbled something in return.

It grew quiet, and Negan stupidly believed that she had, indeed, left.

When his door swung open many seconds later, he gave her a hilariously confused look.

"What the fuck?"

Riley tied her hair back into a messy bun, sliding the sleek, black hairpin back in it's spot. She grinned, stepping in his room and closing the door. "Wow, that was easy. You might want to change the lock on your door."

"Fuck you, kid," he said, ditching his work and standing up. Even from afar, he towered over her. The thought made him smirk, "I can only imagine what the hell you're here for, so how about you spit it out, I have shit to get back to."

"Really? I'm not Dwight, that doesn't work on me."

Negan huffed, scolding himself for forgetting that Riley wasn't one to break easily.

"Who is Celina?" she asked, passing her usual chair to stand in front of him.

"What, need someone to gossip about me with?"

Riley rolled her eyes, unsure if he was being serious or just being an ass. "No, I just want to know why she approached J - my boyfriend out of nowhere and asked if we made our relationship public."

Negan raised his eyebrow, not knowing that a wife of his had even left their floor. A majority of the time, they didn't leave, unless he sent them downstairs or they decided to go outside to read-- magazines, he might add. It seemed most of his girls couldn't read a good book if it were staring them right in the face.

"That's a question I don't know the fucking answer to, babydoll. Maybe you should ask your new friend personally."

"She's not my friend!"

"Calm the hell down," he hissed, taking a step closer, "Are you threatened by my  _wife?_  Jeez, kid, that's a new low even for you."

 _"'I just wouldn't want anyone getting the idea that Riley's single, you know how people can be.'_ Does that sound even remotely suspicious to you?"

Negan shrugged, turning around and sitting back down. "It depends, but it's not that big of a fucking deal, you get too paranoid."

"You  _kissed_  me!"

"I don't recall you fighting against me, sweetheart."

"Still, we did it, and maybe she saw it?"

"I doubt that, it was so close to curfew they probably would shit themselves had they been out of their rooms a few seconds after the fact."

"You were drunk! You could have been followed, you idiot!"

"I'm going to let that slide, Riley."

"I knew you would," she said, a small smile touching her lips. Against his will, he did too, going back to doing what he was  _supposed_  to be doing. "But, this is serious, Negan.. Someone  _could_ have saw."

"What do you want me to do about it? Question every single able body here? Even I don't have enough time for that level of interrogating. Besides, I wasn't  _that_  shit-faced."

"Maybe so, but she knows something."

"Kid, I really don't know what to tell you.. Actually, I do. Tell your boy toy yourself, or wait and hope someone doesn't get there first."

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?"

Blaine sat in his room, sitting on his bed while Starr stood in front of him, pacing back and forth. There was a panicked look in her eyes that was very off-putting.

"It's about Riley, I heard that chick who sat with them this morning talking to someone, or something."

Blaine frowned, watching as his girlfriend anxiously paced back and forth, creating a draft. "How bad is it?"

"I-It's confusing, and really weird, but.. I think she's jealous."

"Jealous?"

"Yes, jealous! She could have been talking to herself, maybe she's batshit crazy, but she's definitely jealous. I always knew that she had a weird relationship with Negan, but now the wives are getting suspicious and I think Riley could be in danger."

"Wait, wait, wait," Blaine said, standing up and grabbing her arm, finally making her stop and look at him. "Did you hear _why?_ Everyone already knows she's with Jackson, so why do his wives have to worry about them? Riley wouldn't do that."

"I know, I'm not saying she's guilty.. I'm also not saying she's innocent, but I'm really worried about her and I think we need to actually do something."

"Starle-"

"No! Nobody wants to take me seriously, but you have to! I know what I heard, and she's not safe!"

"Then what do you suggest we do? Go to Negan, tell him to leave her the hell alone and hope he doesn't bash our brains in?"

"If that's what it takes to keep her safe, then yes! I'd rather be chewed out and spend a few days in a cell than have Riley die!"

Blaine sighed, agreeing with her, but confronting Negan could mean more than a slap on the wrist. Being put in jail was an equivalent to that compared to meeting Lucille.

"Okay, okay.. What do you propose we do?"

___

Riley spent the last half an hour crying, knowing that she had to tell Jackson what had happened. There wasn't a single nerve in her body telling her not to tell him; she couldn't lie to him anymore than she already has. Jackson was too sweet for that, and Riley thought she'd never have to be put in this position.

Riley read a lot in her old life, and even did some minor writing, so whenever a character was in this position, she was thankful it was something she didn't have to experience. Infidelity was an act she always told herself she'd never commit, but she knew that she couldn't pin the blame entirely on Negan.

When he kissed her, she never pushed him away.

Riley had never returned back to her shift. She'd deal with the consequences later.

Riley unlocked the door to the stall, pushing it open and going to the sink. Her eyes were red and blotchy, and her naturally dark cheeks were wet and held a slight itch. She turned on some cool water, leaning forward to wash her eyes.

The sound of the door opening made her heart stutter; she was in a bit of an awkward position as it was.

"Riley?"

The sound of Starr's voice made her look up, water dripping down her face and onto her shirt. Starr came around the corner, seeing her and she quickly went over to the towel dispenser, grabbing a few and holding them out for Riley to take.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Y-yeah, just.. Missing some people, is all." Riley lied, shutting off the water and patting her face dry.

_Another lie_

"Oh.. Wanna talk about it?"

"No, I'm okay.. What's up?" she asked, wadding up the towels and disposing them in the nearly full trashcan.

"Has everything been okay?.. Has anyone been giving you trouble?"

Riley frowned, "No, why?"

"We're just worried about you, that's all."

"Please don't, there's enough stuff we have to worry about as it is." Riley said, attempting to brush past her friend, who gently grabbed her arm to stop her. "Riley-"

"Starr, please-"

"-Just listen to me-"

"-I'm fine!-"

"-RILEY, listen!"

Riley froze, giving her an alarmed look. Starlett loosened her grip, closing her eyes and catching her breath. "Look, I'm sorry, but.. Just be careful, okay?"

"Be careful with what?"

"Just.. Be careful, please."

"Jackson, I need to talk to you."

He rubbed his eyes, sitting up in bed. Jackson had dozed off, having been sketching a picture of Riley from memory. He had drawing pencils scattered everywhere, along with his drawing book sprawled out on the floor. He quickly closed it, shoving it under his bed before grabbing his t-shirt from the floor and slipping it on.

"Hang on!" he said, stumbling over to the door, swinging it open. The color in Riley's eyes were back to normal, but he noticed they had a puff to them. He frowned, reaching for her face, "Were you crying?"

Riley didn't respond, only staring at him with parted lips. There was a choking sound, and then she said, "I'm such a bitch."

"What?" Jackson asked, "Why would you even think that?" he continued, grabbing her by the shoulder and bringing her into his room for privacy.

"Because it's true! I'm such a bitch and I don't deserve anything!-"

"Shhh, babe, you have to calm down.." he soothed, sitting her on his bed. Riley became a blubbering mess; so bad that he couldn't understand her slurred words, tears streaming relentlessly down her cheeks.

_"Did you do it?"_

Jackson grabbed a box of tissues, giving them to her and watching as she dabbed her eyes first, before attempting to blow her nose with the sopping wet napkin.

_"Of course I did, he looked clueless, but she didn't."_

"Riley? Take your time, baby, but you gotta tell me what's going on."

_"Are you sure that this is going to help us, though? Wouldn't he break up with her?"_

"I.. I have to tell you something," she sniffed, dabbing her eyes again, "I-I can't lie to you."

_"Even if he does, it's not like she's going to run back to Negan. She'll blame him, they'll fight, and that's it. We'll have him back-"_

"Something happened between Negan and I-"

_"-Maybe he'll even kill her, who knows. He's fucked in the head that way-."_

"-and I let it happen."

___

There was one knock on his door, then two.

Negan sighed loudly, slipping on his shirt. "Just a minute."

It was silent on the other end, so he assumed that it was Dwight, or Simon. When he opened it, however, he came face to face with Riley's friend.. Stella?

"Why  _hello_  there," he said, unable to keep himself from checking her out. She didn't seem to notice, however. "What brings you here?.."

"Starlett."

 _"Starlett.._ That's a pretty cool name, I gotta say.. What can I do for you?" Negan asked, playing his cards carefully. He wasn't sure how much Riley told her friends about personal shit, so having her friend standing in front of him right now at the random was suspicious.

"Can I come in? I don't want to talk about this out here."

Negan licked his lips, nodding and stepping aside, gesturing for her to come in. It wasn't odd for him to have someone in his room for business matters, so while he wasn't entirely sure what was going on, he decided he would humor her.

"Take a fucking seat," he said, gesturing for her to sit in the chair opposite of Riley's. "Do you need anything? I'm only asking this once, so choose wisely."

"N-no, I'm good, thanks.."

He nodded, sinking down in his seat that was now cold. "Well, I have no idea what the fuck you're going to throw at me, so just hit me with it."

"Can I be blunt?"

"If you're feeling very fucking lucky, go right ahead."

Starlett sighed, sitting up straighter and Negan could tell that she was nervous. When she opened her mouth, however, it didn't show. "I have a few concerns, and I think you know why."

"You call that being blunt? Jesus, hun, I was expecting to have my ass chewed out."

"This is about your relationship with Riley, so please, don't act like a leader, act like the man who cares about her."

"My  _relationship_  with Riley? What the fuck does this look like, some cheesy romantic tragedy?"

Starr shrugged, "I know you care about her, so don't pretend like you don't. Not only are you lying to yourself, but you're lying to me. And from what I gather, you don't like liars."

Negan didn't have anything to say to that, so she continued on, "I genuinely believe that a few of your wives, or one in particular, has it out for her, and I think it shouldn't be taken lightly."

"I don't give a damn about what you  _think_ , hun. I do, however, care about what you _know._ So please, continue."

"Your wife, Celina? She can't be trusted."

Negan can admit that having someone else confront him about the same wife in the same day was cause for concern. Especially with it being someone so close to Riley, it made him decide that he was going to hunt Celina down and get shit out of her. Only he wouldn't tell Starlett this, yet. "Is that so?"

"Yes. She's unstable, and I genuinely believe that you-we- need to get to the bottom of this."

Negan chuckled dryly, leaning forward in his seat. He saw determination flash in her eyes as she sat up impossibly straighter, and he knew that there was no reason for him to back down now. "You really care for her, don't you?"

"Yes, I do. And I know you're not doing this for me."

Negan swallowed, unsure of how he felt about someone other than  _her_  being able to read him like an open book. Even then, he knew, Riley couldn't all of the time, but something told him that wouldn't last for long.

"Tell me what you heard. We'll work our way up from there."

_oh, it's such a shame for us to part_

_nobody said it was easy_

_no one ever said it would be so hard_

Riley didn't know where else to go, so she decided on taking a shower.

At least that way, she could cry, but the water would make it difficult to tell.

Like she expected, Jackson was too calm when she told him. He didn't yell. He didn't shout. He didn't throw stuff or knock anything over. All he did was stand up, and hold open the door.

As she walked out, he said, "Give me a few days."

Riley wasn't sure if she could ever take him back, because she felt so guilty. She didn't deserve him, and though she had true feelings for him, he deserved much better than her.

_He probably won't want you back, don't flatter yourself that much_

Her lips burned, and not in a good way. After meeting Negan, and getting to know him better, she will admit that she wanted a piece of him. It wasn't something she could pretend never occurred to her, but now that it happened at such an inappropriate time..

_take me back to the start_

Since it was still during the day, the girls locker room was empty. There were a few girls in here when she arrived, talking while they showered, so she snuck in without being seen. They left not long ago, however, and Riley knew she was alone.

Two, bare-footed figures quietly made their way into the bathroom, peeking around the corner to make sure they were alone.

Riley washed away the soap, sniffing her arm. Her nose was so stuffy she couldn't even smell her body wash. She turned the water temperature up, knowing the steam would work as a decongestant.

"Are you sure it's her?" Maria whispered, stepping into the showers, followed closely by Celina.

"I'm sure, that's her hoodie folded up on the bench," she whispered, taking the bag off her shoulder. "We have to hurry, I heard this place gets crowded after dinner."

"Are you sure she'll have enough time to bleed out?"

"After slashing her with this?" Celina asked, pulling out the Canadian Dagger from the bag. "I'll be surprised if she lasts ten minutes."

Riley shut off the water after a few minutes, taking a deep breath before opening the shower curtain and grabbing her towel.

Someone walked in, and Riley recognized her as Freida, a quiet, but kind woman who worked in electrical. Riley wrapped herself in the towel, before heading towards her locker while Freida gave her a tight smile, going to the showers and opening a random curtain.

Unfortunately, it was the same curtain that was hiding two armed woman.

**SCLUCK!**

A blood curling scream ripped through the quiet atmosphere, making Riley whirl around in horror. Freida was struggling, her body twitching as if she were being electrocuted. Celina ripped the dagger from her body, watching as she fell to her knees, before stabbing her again, the blade so long Riley watched in slow motion as the tip peeked out of her back a good three or four inches.

Maria, who didn't seem to realize what she was actually getting herself into, watched with a horrified expression as Freida gave a choke of fear and pain, before slumping to the floor, dead.

"Holy shit!" Celina said, looking down at the body with an eerily gleeful expression.

"W-Why did you do that?" Maria asked, looking down at Frieda's dead body, horrified.

"She's a fucking witness, she would have seen us- Hey, where did that other bitch go!?"

Little did they know, Riley had ran out of the bathroom, right into the arms of Negan, Starr, and twenty or so men and woman.

"Easy there, sweetheart." Negan soothed, holding a trembling, half-naked Riley in his arms.

Negan's army stormed the bathroom, and the screams and cries of Negan's two wives were quickly silenced. Riley became a blubbering mess a third time that night.

___

The entire locker room was closed off for the night, including the entire floor from people who didn't live on it.

Starr had fetched Riley some pajamas from her room, and Laura found her a blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders. The two girls sat with Riley, holding her as she stared blankly off into space as Simon and the others carried the dead bodies of Frieda, Celina, and Maria away.

"Your brother has been notified," Laura said, showing a caring side of her that didn't show often. "He'll be here as soon as possible."

Riley nodded, but both girls weren't sure she fully processed what she said.

Negan waltzed over, without Lucille and he looked down at his girl, feeling a pang in his chest. He gestured for Laura and Starlett to move away, reaching forward and helping Riley stand up.

"You two, go meet her brother.. Someone take her to her room, please." he called, "I need to make sure those bitches are burned."

"I'll take her.." one of the girls, an ultra thin, mousy-haired woman said, taking Riley's arm with a little more force than necessary. She was wearing a black nightgown, so she figured it was probably another wife

"Great, I'll be there in a moment."

The woman led Riley away; the grip on her arm extremely tight, and Riley immediately knew that something was wrong.

"I can walk myself.." she croaked, attempting to tug her arm free.

"I got you, hunny."

"I can walk _myself!"_  Riley cried, ripping her arm free. The woman's nails scratched her arm, leaving red marks and a few spots started to bleed. A few of Negan's army turned to look.

Before Riley could walk away, the woman pulled a smaller dagger from her hip, slashing it across Riley's torso.

Riley screamed; in fright and in pain, while the woman slashed everywhere she could. Riley's arms, face, neck, and chest. The knife ripped the fabric of her pajamas, cutting into her skin and it looked as if Freddy Kruger had came and slashed her in her sleep.

Riley's body was on fire.

There was a series of yelling, and before she knew it, the weight of the woman was knocked off of her. Riley's hearing deteriorated, and she could feel her flesh continuing to burn as people attended to her. Negan's angry voice roared over the chaos, and the sound of a gunshot, and blood spatter, made everything for Riley go black.

"SOMEONE GET CARSON!" Negan roared, pushing people out of the way, scooping her up in his arms. "I'M BRINGING HER DOWN, FUCKING GET DOWN THERE BEFORE I DO. NOTIFY HER BROTHER AND THE GIRLS!"

Negan looked down at a dead Clarissa, fuming, "Make sure this bitch burns, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || oh no


	19. 18.

**CARSON HAD PUT RILEY TO SLEEP WHILE HE STITCHED HER UP.**

Carson didn't let anyone inside, only asking Sherry and a young woman who had been in her second year of medical school when the apocalypse hit to assist him. Most of the cuts in Riley's torso were deep; enough that he was afraid her organs could have been cut.

"I need those clamps, dear," Carson said, holding his hand out. Sherry used her free hand to hold them out, her other hand holding down a piece of gauze on the shallow cuts on her face.

"Such a shame, she's a beautiful girl," Carly said, attending to the one cut above her eyebrow that was deep. "Why would those girls do this?"

Carly was newer to the Sanctuary, so she wasn't entirely aware of the close relationship Negan had with Riley. Sherry and Carson shared a look, the male sighing in relief when Riley's liver wasn't severed like he feared.

"She's on good terms with Negan," Sherry said, peeling the sticky, bloody gauze from her face. "They were just jealous. And now they're dead."

Outside, Negan paced.

Laura led a hysterical Starlett and Avriel downstairs, and he wasn't surprised when Donovan quietly loped in behind them. The other one was nowhere to be seen.

"How is she?" Avriel asked, and Negan could tell that he had been crying.

"They're working on her now, we can't bother them."

"Who all is in there?" Donovan asked, the look on his face a mix of guilt and concern.

"Sherry and the new girl, I don't know her fucking name."

"Carly, her name is Carly," Laura said, patting Starr on the arm. "What do you want me to do, boss?"

"Find the others, make sure those cock sucking, fucking bitches are burned properly. I don't want a sliver of them remaining."

Laura nodded solemnly, going upstairs to do what she was asked.

"How did this happen?"

The sound of the door hitting brick made the group jump. Blaine came running down the steps, sweaty and pale faced as he raced towards his people.

"What the fuck is going on!?"

All of the questioning was making Negan's head hurt. He sighed loudly, letting the girl explain everything while he went to the door, pounding on it.

Inside, Sherry sighed, lifting her bloody, gloved hands from Riley's body and peeling them off, disposing of them. She opened the door, coming face to face with an angry, yet scared looking, Negan.

"I want a fucking update!"

"She's stable, we're stitching her up, bandaging her.. She's fine," Carson said dryly, not bringing his eyes away from the young woman below him. "Had that knife been any longer, or closer, we'd be putting her in a body bag by now."

That simple statement made her brother sob louder, and Negan had a feeling he only ever showed this emotion for his sister. The sound even made Negan tear up.

_Stop being such a pussy, she's a tough girl._

"When will she be ready?" Negan asked, not bothering to comment on anything, knowing that he'd either lash out in anger or cry like a bitch baby. Neither option was appropriate at the moment.

"There's twenty cuts, and fifteen of them require stitches. Any of you know how to stitch?" Carson asked, snipping the final piece of a three inch cut.

"I do! I'm okay now, let me help." Starlett said, making the move to shove Negan out of the way and wash her hands in the sink.

"We're going to be here for a while," Carson sighed, finally looking up at Carly, "Did you cover the wounds with vaseline?"

"Yes, should we get a bag of blood just in case?"

"We don't know her blood typ-"

"She's  _O Negative_ , same as me," Avriel said, "I-If you need any, please-"

"We may have just enough, but stay close, we may need you.. Shut the door Sherry, please."

The last thing Sherry saw was the hurt look on Negan's face.

___

When Riley woke up, everything hurt.

"G-"

"Shhh, shhh," Avi soothed, having slumped next to her, holding her hand. "You're okay, don't talk."

"She's awake?"

"Oh my God!"

"Someone get Carson-"

_"-and Negan-"_

"I will," Jackson said, standing up from his spot beside the counter. Riley's tired, sore eyes watched as he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Riley's eyes trailed down to the sheets, feeling that she was naked underneath them, and that the blankets were heated. She was wearing underwear, she realized after wiggling a little bit. The movement of her hips caused a terrible pain to rip through her torso, making her gasp in pain.

"Easy, easy.. You have stitches all over, you don't want to tear them."

"Seriously?" Riley croaked, groaning and letting her head fall back against the pillows. "Just kill me now."

"You did almost die, kid."

The sound of Negan's voice made a cool chill run down her spine. Everyone turned to look, watching as he was carefully trailed in by Carson.

Riley bit on her lip, before immediately releasing it. Unbeknownst to her, Clarissa had snagged her right under the nose, across her top lip. Had it been an inch or so higher, it may have severed her nose in half through the nostrils.

"I'm going to need to ask all of yo-"

"We're staying," Blaine said, his tone flat. "She's family.. Unless you want us to leave." he added, looking at her for confirmation. Riley shrugged, fine either way.

Carson nodded, going over to the counter. "I'm going to give you some medicine for the pain.." he went on, explaining everything that he explained to the others while she was still passed out. Negan blocked out his words, knowing that if he were to hear the story another time, he'd burst.

His remaining wives, excluding Sherry, were all under house arrest until further notice. He wasn't going to be taking any chances with them, though he was convinced that none of the remaining girls had a clue what had happened. The looks on their faces were horrified; pure surprise, that it would be stupid of him to think they were in on it somehow.

Still, though, he wasn't taking that shit.

He watched as Riley nodded occasionally, to the point where Negan worried she wasn't actually grasping the situation. Her beautiful face was covered in stitches, her arms were mostly bandaged, as her stomach got it the worst. She'd have trouble sleeping, let alone moving comfortably for months.

Their eyes met for the briefest moment, and he felt something in him shift in a way he hadn't felt since Lucille.

"Why are you sitting here by yourself?"

Starlett sat next to Jackson, having finally torn herself from Riley's side to let her sleep. Negan had two guys guarding the door in shifts, so she hoped herself, the boys, and Riley could sleep peacefully tonight.

He shrugged, staring off into the distance, "I just.. can't believe it."

"I know.. It seems unreal," Starr said, sighing, "But she's going to be okay, she's already pulling through."

"Still, it shouldn't have happened.. She didn't deserve any of that."

"Does anybody, really?"

Jackson didn't say anything, only averting his gaze. Starr sighed, reaching over and taking his hand. His eyes still strayed away from her.

"What's wrong, Jackson? There's something you're not telling me."

_"I want her to stay here for a few more days, she needs the rest."_

"It's about Riley.. Not really  _this_ situation, but it's.."

_"When those few days are up, I want her in my room. Could we do that?"_

"She.. She told me something- something that happened between her and Negan."

Starr frowned, "What happened?"

_"We could, but if it's okay with you, I might have Carly stopping in on occasion to change her bandages, give her medicine.."_

Starr was speechless, wondering how she didn't deduce that herself. "O-Oh my God, Jackson!? What did you do?"

_"I don't care, as long as someone who knows what the fuck they're doing is taking care of her.. I'm allowing Simon to take over for a few days, I don't want her being alone."_

"Nothing.. I didn't do anything," Jackson said, his resolve crumbling. Tears began to fall down his cheeks, and Starr reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a tissue, handing it to him. "That's why she was in that bathroom. Had I made her stay and talk it out, she wouldn't have been in there with those  _girls!"_

_"You seem to really care about her."_

"Jackson, this isn't your fault-"

___

Riley felt someone's hand touch her shoulder. A finger trailed over the untouched cheek, before Riley's eyes shot open, revealing a distraught looking Negan.

"Fuck, I thought you were asleep."

"I was.."

Negan nodded, pulling up a chair and sitting at her bedside. "How do you feel?"

"Whatever Carson gave me, I can't feel anything."

Negan nodded, leaning back in his chair. "That's good.. You really scared us there, kid."

"I'm sorry.."

"Don't fucking apologize! It ain't your fault, sweetheart.. You brother?  _Phew,_  never seen him cry like that. Even when I had him locked up like a sad sack of shit."

Riley glared, ignoring the pulling ache in her brow that was neatly stitched by Carly.

 _"Shit--_  Sorry."

Riley shrugged, "Whatever, I know what you meant."

"Your face still looks hot, if that's any consolation."

Riley snickered, feeling a small smile tugging at her lips; one that was comfortable enough. "Wow, that makes me feel great."

"It's what I do best,  _Riley_   _Brooklyn Taylor."_

"Hey, how do you know that!?"

"I have sources," he replied, giving her a smug smile, "It's cute, I'll give you that."

"Please don't."

Like she expected, he quickly changed the subject, "You're expected to spend the night here for another night, and most of the day after. I'm having you move in with me for a while."

Riley's eyes widened, leaning forward and pulling at her stitches, "Are you serious!? W-Why can't I just go with Avi, or-"

"Your brother has a roommate, I'm not relocating him. There's a reason he is where he is, and it's only for a while-"

"I don't think this is a good idea, Negan." Riley said, looking away from him.

"Too bad, sweetheart. You're living with me, and that's final."

___

"Please, don't leave me in here."

"It will go by quickly, I promise."

Riley looked up from her spot in Negan's bed, giving Starr the infamous puppy dog eyes, "Please, I can't be in here."

"Jackson already told me what happened, so imagine how he feels about it."

"Starr-"

"Riley, come on. Just deal with it, please.. We're all worried about you enough as it is, just humor him."

Riley sighed, allowing herself to sink deeper into the super fluffy pillows Negan had requested be brought up for her arrival. "Fine, okay.. I like your outfit, by the way."

"Thanks.. I gotta go, they're sending Blaine out on a run for more medical supplies. You took up quite a bit of inventory."

"That's going to cost an arm and a leg in points, I won't have a day off in another thirty-years."

"Don't be fucking stupid now, kid-"

 _"-How do you just always show up?"_ Riley said, giving Negan a questioning look as he walked through the door.

"This is my room, in case you've forgotten."

Starr shifted uncomfortably, dropping her head and quietly telling her goodbye. Negan smirked, watching her go before she disappeared behind closed doors. He turned his attention back to Riley, grinning, "She's with your friend, right? Damn, what a fucking shame."

Riley glared at him, ignoring the pull of her stitches as she turned over on her side, angry at his comment. "You're an ass."

Negan's face softened a bit, feeling like a dick. He knew she was out of it for a few days now since the attack, but his attempt at lighting up the situation was unsuccessful with his badly timed humor. "I was only half serious, sweetheart."

"I don't care, Jackson broke up with me."

This was news to him, "Really? You actually told him?"

"Yeah, I did. I told him that I was an idiot who let the boss kiss me, and that he didn't deserve to be with someone like me. Are you happy, now? You got your wish?"

Negan rolled his eyes, moving to where he was sitting on the bed, fitting perfectly in with her curled up body. That had to be uncomfortable for her. "If we're being honest with each other, Riley, this isn't quite how I imagined it being."

Riley laughed quietly, "You always imagine our life together? wow, that's  _so romantic_  of you."

"It was a moment of weakness. It'll stop."

Riley turned on her other side, wincing as a shot of pain coursed through her entire body. Negan helped her move, allowing her to lay back comfortably against the pillows, as if in a hospital bed. "Why did they attack me?" she asked bluntly, not wanting to sugarcoat anything.

"They were dangerous girls," he said, frowning. "Your friend _Starlett_ picked up on it. She's a smart girl, that's why I had brought those people down there. We were looking for you."

"If it wasn't for her, I'd be dead?"

"We don't know that, Riley.. It's very possible, but you could also be in this very spot now, too."

"I'm not ready to die," Riley whispered, watching as Negan's hand reached over and took hers. She needed comfort right now, and he knew that. "I don't want to die."

"You're not dead, and you're not dying. You're tough, kid."

"Enough to sleep in the same room as you? Wow, I must be."

Negan chuckled, releasing her hand and standing up. Riley watched him go to the door, taking the bag that she hasn't noticed sitting there. He went over to the refrigerator, starting to unpack it. "I think I got most of your favorite things, want anything?"

Riley chewed on her lip, curious, "My favorite things?"

Negan shrugged, coming over and holding out a bottle of Apple juice. "I know what you like, it's not a mystery to me."

Riley took it from him. The bottle was cold. "That's.. Nice of you?"

"If you say so.. Get some rest, Carly will be here in two hours for your pain medicine."

Riley nodded, watching him walk away. She took a sip, wondering in the back of her mind if this wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

"Surprise!"

"Are you taking me outside?" Riley asked, watching as Phoebe came bustling in, followed by Avi who was carrying a Rubbermaid container.

"No, it's really cold today.. Here, the kitchen staff prepared this fresh for you." Avi said, coming over and setting it on her lap, before kissing the top of her head.

Riley took off the lid, revealing strawberry shortcake. "Aww, you guys.."

"It's fresh, so eat it by tonight. Jackson picked the strawberries himself, it's getting harder to grow a plant with the weather."

The mention of his name made her wince. Riley put the lid back on, letting Phoebe take it and put it in the fridge. Avi took a seat, looking around Negan's room that he had never even seen until the past week. He was positive this belonged in a magazine. 

"How is he?.. Jackson?" She asked, looking at both visitors. Jackson hasn't been up to see her at all since the morning after, and it was a blessing as much as it was a curse.

"He's okay.. He's been working nonstop, I think it's helping him cope."

Riley nodded, even more ashamed that everyone knew what she did. It was even more worrisome that they were letting her stay in Negan's room, but there was something about the intimidating leader that won't allow anyone to challenge him on the matter.

She could understand that.

"Has he been treating you okay?" Avi asked.

"Yeah.. He's been.. Great, actually. I'm just tired of being in this bed."

"You have to stay here, Negan has everyone and everything on lockdown. Only certain people are allowed carrying weapons anymore on the property, his wives have been relocated to another floor.. Everything's changed since those girls attempted to assassinate you." Phoebe explained, knowing that Negan hasn't told her based on her facial expression.

"He even has random checkpoints, having his men pat people down. It hasn't happened to any of us, but we think it's because you're our family. He isn't messing around, Riley." Avi said, leaning forward and taking her hand.

"He hasn't told me anything.. He was here nonstop the first day I was here, and then he leaves and has people standing guard outside. I don't understand, it was his wives who rebelled, not anyone else."

"The woman who actually attacked you wasn't a wife," Phoebe said, "At least not officially.. She's here with her sister, and she has asthma. Inhalers and the proper medicine are really hard to find, so they're extremely expensive. She was about to join the club when Maria and Celina started plotting against you-"

"-How do you know all of this?"

"-I eavesdrop, no biggie. Anyway, they knew she would be easy prey-"

"-I WANNA TELL THE STORY!" Starr burst into the room, making all three of them jump in freight. Riley felt a tug on her stomach, before warm liquid began oozing out.

"Oh no! My stitches!" Riley cried out, lifting her shirt up to reveal a now ruined row of stitches. Blood began to pool on her lap, resulting in Avi standing up and pressing Negan's silk sheets to the wound.

"Someone get the first aid kit!" Starr said, rushing over to the sink to wash her hands.

"Does he even have one?" Phoebe asked, hurriedly looking around the living space.

"Under the sink," Riley commented, making everyone turn to look at her. ".. Uhh, not that I know.."

"It doesn't matter; Phoebe, hurry!"

"Avi, you need to help me. Phoebe, go get Negan, or Carson, whoever you find first."

Riley groaned, letting Avi lay her back and shove her shirt over her breasts. "No, it's not a big deal.."

"You know he'll be mad he wasn't notified, don't whine anymore." Starr said, opening the kit. "Let's get this shit cleaned up."

___

"OUCH!" Riley yelled, fighting against the hands of Negan and her brother who were holding her down.

"Be careful!" Negan hissed at Starlett, who looked up to match his glare.

" She broke her stitches, I had to pluck them out, the flesh was already tender enough from being ripped open."

"You came in and scared the shit out of me." Riley accused, moaning when an uncomfortable pluck of string almost made her jump.

"That's my fault, I'm sorry."

"Just fix it, please." Negan said, looking up just as Sherry came in, carrying new bed sheets.

"Please stop, I need a minute." Riley panted, feeling tears pricking her eyes.

"Come on, kid.. You're tough." Negan whispered, his voice so low Riley almost had to strain her ears to hear.

"I'm inspired, thank you." Riley said, her voice strained.

"They're all out, now I gotta sew you back up." Starr said, removing part of the gauze from her cut.

"Just do it." Riley said.

"Just take a deep breath, sweetheart.. It will be all over soon."

When they finished 10 stitches later, Riley was clear of tears. It was embarrassing; she never had stitches before this, and being asleep the night of, she didn't feel shit. Maybe it was because the skin was already so sensitive that it hurt worse than it should.

Or, she was just a wuss.

"This is one heck of a kit," Phoebe commented, putting it back under the sink in it's place. "That's really handy."

While Avi helped Riley stand up from the bed, Sherry began to peel off the sheets to replace them. There was a knock on the door, before Carson peeked his head in, followed by Simon.

"I heard there was a little mishap with your stitches.."

"I fixed her up. It was difficult, she wouldn't stop squirming."

"That's to be expected.. Lucky for her, though, it's time for her medicine. Unfortunately, we're out of pills, so I need to shoot her up with something."

"No more needles, just let me die."

Carson shook his head, putting his medical bag on Negan's coffee table. Negan made her sit down, grinning when she threw a glare his way. He held his hands up in surrender, before going over to Simon.

"How's it going?" He asked, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"We think that Amber of yours knew a little something about it. She's been drinking herself stupid the past few days."

"Really.." Negan said, drawing out the word longer than necessary. "She's the quiet one, who knows what she could have heard."

_"OUCH!"_

_"I can't find a vein.."_

_"POKE ME ONE MORE TIME..!"_

Negan rolled his eyes at her theatrics, both men turning to see Riley attempting to wrestle herself away from Carson. The three others were holding her back in one form or another. Simon chuckled, fixing the waistband of his jeans.

" We have her away from the others, if you want to talk to her."

Negan nodded, patting Simon on the shoulder. "I'll be down soon, make sure somebody is in there with her. I don't need anymore funny business."

Simon nodded, turning and quietly slipping out of the door.

___

Amber was quietly sitting in a chair, wishing she had her bottle of gin.

The sound of a door opening made her glance up, looking back down as quickly as she did. Negan shut the door, taking a few steps closer before staring a hole at the top of her blonde head.

She heard his footsteps, and then a long, almost anguished sigh.

"You know why you're here, and I don't expect you to act like you don't."

She was silent.

Negan took a seat across from her, sighing deeply. "Tell me what you know about it, and I don't want any fucking games, you understand?"

When she didn't respond, or even acknowledge him, he got pissed. "FUCKING LOOK AT ME!"

Amber flinched, jumping out of her seat. It was very rare for Negan to raise his voice at the girls, but for the past week, it was almost an everyday occurrence.

"I'm not fucking playing,  _Amber," he_ said, leaning closer. Amber was shaking so badly he thought she might be freezing to death. "What. Do. You. Know."

"I-I heard them talking about her.."

"About who? Riley? Clarissa?"

"Riley.. No, both."

Negan took a deep breath, watching her closely, "What were they saying?"

"They said t-that they're tired of.."

"Tired of what? Come on, darlin', I don't have all fucking day. They're dead, they're not going to know  _shit."_

"They hoped that.. Riley would pick a fight with you-- mentioned something about a guy, I don't remember his name."

"Go on."

"They hoped you'd get s-so angry that you'd kill her, so they wouldn't have to themselves."

Negan stood up, the look on his face so angry, Amber wondered if she was going to make it out alive. "ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!?"

"T-They must have decided to do it themselves anyway, that's all I know, I swear!"

"And when did this fucking conversation take place? Two weeks ago? Friday night? WHEN!?" Negan roared, turning around and pointing an accusing finger in her face, "Why didn't you fucking tell me! She could have died!"

"I was reading a book, it was at exactly five-fifteen when they were talking about it."

"That was about forty-five minutes before she was hurt, what the fuck was so important in that forty-five minutes you couldn't fucking tell someone?"

Amber started to cry harder, and the look on her face made his glare soften.

"T-They caught me listening.. I t-tried telling them that I had just walked in, and didn't hear anything, but Celina threatened my life, and my mom! I'm sorry, Negan, I couldn't let them hurt my mother!"

Negan stood up straight, quietly watching as wife number five sobbed; her makeup smearing and running down her face. Amber was still shaking so badly, that he grabbed her arm, pulling her up.

"Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

"Calm the hell down," he said, shaking her arm. Amber sniffed, her lips trembling. ".. It's okay. It's fucking okay.. And you know why?"

Amber shook her head, "No.."

"You were  _threatened_ , darlin'.. not only you, but your mother. God fucking knows I'm fully aware of your relationship with her.. You did what you had to fucking do."

Amber nodded, a slight look of relief flashing in her eyes.

_This wasn't quite how I expected this to fucking go_

"Go on, clean yourself up. Logan will take you." he said, opening the door, revealing Logan. Amber didn't say anything, only ducking her head and slipping by him, letting Logan lead her away.

Negan angrily kicked his chair, storming out of the room.

___

"Please, finish the story?"

Negan came out of the bathroom, giving her a confused look. "What story?"

"Phoebe was telling me about the girls. I want to know why."

"I already told you, they were dangerous-"

"You know that's not the real reason. I think I have the right to know, Negan." Riley said defiantly, purposely sitting up straighter. It was past curfew, so she had been by herself for a while before Negan finally showed up, storming into the bathroom quietly to shower. Now that he was here, she was determined to get what she wanted.

"They used Clarissa as a pawn, not wanting to do the dirty work themselves. Probably promised her something real good."

"But  _why_  did they?"

Negan angrily shut the cupboard door, turning to give her an irritated look. Riley flinched, cowering a little. "They wanted you fucking dead, what is so hard to fucking understand about that?"

"Stop yelling at me," Riley said calmly, not in the mood to fight with him. "Why are you so angry about this? I should be the one who is angry, not you!" she snapped, any trace of tranquility gone.

"HAD YOU DIED, I WOULD HAVE LOST YOU!"

Riley froze; eyes wide with an erratic heartbeat. Negan was breathing heavily, glaring at her and she knew that he wasn't intoxicated; this was Negan, and he was opening up to her in ways she never experienced before, with him.

"Had you died-" he cut off, turning away from her. She could hear him quietly breathing, in an attempt to calm himself down. After a few minutes, Negan turned around, bringing his eyes to look at her, his tone softer. "I wouldn't be able to  _live with myself_ had something happened to you.. Worse then what already fucking did!"

"Negan.."

"-And I have lost all interest in those fucking wives, because of you!"

"Negan-"

"I can't do anything right anymore, because you're always on my goddamned mind every fucking second of every fucking day! I couldn't screw their brains out on the daily anymore, because of YOU! AND THAT'S WHY THEY WANTED YOU DEAD!"

Riley flinched away from him, as he had approached her during his rant. "You said you weren't going to leave them..!"

Negan shook his head. He was losing it; even more than he already had. "I didn't fucking leave them, but the past few weeks are no fucking different than doing so. And you know what? I blame you, Riley. It's all your fucking fault!"

She didn't say anything, so he continued with his rant.

"And you know what? Fuck you, kid. Seriously, _fuck you._ You walk around here, with that fucking attitude-- _with that body--_  and expect me not to fucking want to screw your goddamn brains out every second of every DAY."

Riley only stared at him.

"You're a fucking bitch, you know that?"

Riley laughed without humor, "I've been told that before, so maybe I do."

"You're a bitch, because you know I'm wrapped around your goddamn finger. You just eat off that shit, don't you?"

"You know that's not true, Negan!"

He came closer, reaching forward with a trembling hand and running his finger solemnly along the cut above her brow. "You're a fucking bitch, and I can't fucking stand you at times-"

"Aww, I feel the same about you, too.."

"Shut the hell up," Negan said, dropping his hand. "..I think I love you, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> || oh yes


	20. 19.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone!! First off, I wanted to thank all of you who have read/commented/or left a kudos on this work! You guys are amazing and I appreciate every single one of you!
> 
> Second, I wanted to address the fact that when the season 7 finale aired, I was worried that this story would hit a snag during off season. It had, obviously as it has been forever since I updated or even found the muse to write. I tried for weeks, but always fell short and came up with nothing. I've revised this chapter so many times, that I hope it doesn't feel too rushed or bland. If it is, I deeply apologize - please excuse any typos as well, I was so excited when I finished this that I didn't want to proofread it, I just wanted to post it!
> 
> Third, I hope that you guys are still invested in this story. I have tried to relight the flame with Negan for a long time now, and it got to the point where watching the same episodes over and over again were not working. I hope that this won't be the last update until the season eight premiere, but I want all of my readers to know that I am doing my best to get good chapters out there, as I don't want to leave you with half-hearted ones when I have so much potential to be amazing. 
> 
> Lastly, if you read this far, I love you!! Once again, I hope you guys understand and are relatively pleased with this chapter, even though you'll see that other things are starting to happen and shit is about to get real.
> 
> With all of that being said, I hope you guys enjoy!

_**___** _

_**"'You're my girlfriend, I have the right to know what's bothering you..'"** _

_**___** _

_"I think_ _I_ _love_ _you, kid."_

__"I think_ _ __I_ _ __ __love_ _ __you, kid."_ _

___"I think_ _ _ ___I_ _ _ ___ _ ___love_ _ _ ___you, kid."_ _ _

 

 **RILEY LAID IN BED, LISTENING TO THE QUIET SOUNDS OF NEGAN'S BREATHING AS HE SLEPT ON THE COUCH.** His words had been running around in circles in her mind for the past few hours. After his mini break down, he left the room, not even giving Riley the chance to reply.

Had she not been hurt, she would probably have ran after him to demand he calm down and talk it out with her. But with her new stitches, and an extra dose of medicine, she couldn't muster the strength to get out of bed.

When Negan got back some time later, she was asleep. That was a few hours ago, and she had been up for about forty minutes now, hearing Negan's voice in her head on repeat.

_"I think I love you, kid."_

Riley sat up, needing to use the restroom. The room was extremely dark, as the moon was currently hidden behind the clouds, for the very first time in a while. Negan slept soundly as she went to the bathroom, waiting until she closed the door to flip on the light.

Her appearance left much to be desired. Her usual bright brown eyes were dull and sad, still maintaining a bit of a puff to them from her light crying just hours before. Her full lips were dry and chapped; almost aching as if they were grieving with her. The harsh cut under her nose was bruised, making her gingerly reach up and touch it with nimble fingertips. She stared at her reflection for a moment, before finding it to be too overwhelming.

As she did her business, she carefully held onto her stomach as each breath she took was a little painful.

Negan had yet to stir once she sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his tall frame as he laid on the couch. His feet hung off, like usual. Riley did feel guilty for taking his bed, but he always insisted that he would be fine and she needed it more than him.

_How is it possible for someone like Negan to be so sweet to you, only to be so crass to everyone else?_

Riley dismissed that thought, irritated that it was always the same reasoning over and over again. Much like his words from earlier, it was a broken record in her head, and it was  _annoying._

She suddenly missed Starr, and Blaine, and her brother.. Jackson, even. Though they were now broken up, she missed his arms wrapped around her in a tight but comforting hold. Riley lived with the guilt that she completely fucked up her relationship with him by letting Negan kiss her.

Once again, she found herself crying - for Jackson, for Avi, for Negan, and more importantly, herself.

___

The next morning, Blaine lay in bed, mulling over the eerie tranquility of his shared bedroom with Riley. Bailey was on the other side of the wall, sleeping on the bed of her second favorite companion. It didn't bother him, he knew it was just Bailey's way of coping with the fact that Riley was indisposed at the moment.

When there was a knock on the door, he threw the covers from his body, shushing Bailey as she sat up, growling at the door while he swung it open.

It was Starlett, who pushed past him and went to Riley's side of the room, throwing open her drawers and digging out her clothes.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked, appalled at the urgency in her actions as Starr began pulling out all of the clothes that Riley purchased in the past few months.

"Riley needs more stuff to wear, that's all." she said, throwing the clothing on the now vacant bed as Bailey had hopped off at the sight of Starlett. She began folding the clothes, putting a bag that Blaine hadn't noticed on the bed to fill up.

"He's still keeping her up there?" Blaine asked, becoming visibly upset at the idea of Negan keeping her away. It was a stretch to say he was holding her captive, because Riley would have moved back to their floor if that were the case.

"Yes, it's his orders and Riley was dead to the world, God knows how much sleep she's been getting."

"Shouldn't she have a say? She's not a little kid, I think the threat would be over by now-"

"That's not our business, if you have a problem with it talk to Negan." Starr snapped, roughly sliding the zipper closed and shouldering the bag.

"What the hell is your problem?" Blaine asked, grabbing her arm as she tried to escape. He felt her tense up, which was something she never did with him. Starr turned around, giving him a displeased look; one that hurt.

"I'm just not in the mood, I have to bring this stuff to the sixth floor before he gets pissed and hunts me down." she attempted to reason to no avail, trying to tug her arm free from his grasp.

"Starlett-"

"Blaine,  _please!_ Just let me go!" she said, finally freeing herself from his grip. "I don't want to talk, I'm going through a lot of shit right now!"

"Aren't we all?" he retorted, easily returning the cold-hearted glare she threw his way. "You're my girlfriend, I have the right to know what's bothering you!"

"It's not about  _me,_ Blaine! It's about them!" she finally caved, dropping the bag and falling into his chest. Bailey whined at their feet, staring at them with her ears down as Blaine embraced Starlett tightly, gently rocking her.

"What are you talking about, babe?" he asked, running his hand up and down her back, watching as Bailey wagged her tail.

"I was supposed to go upstairs last night and see if Riley was alright, C-Carson had someone else to attend to and the new girl asked me if I could check on her, since s-she's my friend and all, you know?"

When he didn't respond, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes as tears streamed down her tanned cheeks. "I got held up, the main refrigerator broke in the kitchen and we had to move everything that would spoil and it took forever before someone from maintenance finally came down to fix it-"

"Starr.."

"I know, just let me finish, please," she sniffed, taking a seat on Riley's bed. "I-I finally went up there, it was so close to curfew that I was afraid someone would see me and report me, even though I was heading for Negan's room and I heard them fighting-"

 _"Fighting?_  What could they possibly fight about?" Blaine asked, confused. A million ideas ran through his head at once. Stupid little things, like the room being too cold for Riley or Negan being too obscene to live with, things like that.

"H-he said.."

When she didn't continue, Blaine kneeled in front of her, resting his hand tenderly on her knee. Starr was staring into nothing, tears still dribbling down her face. Her brown eyes were sad, a hint of worry lingering in them and Blaine wasn't sure what to expect.

"He didn't hit her, did he?" Blaine asked, finally breaking the ice. To his relief, Starr shook her head, resting her hand on top of his.

"No, h-he just told her that  _he might be in love with her!"_

Blaine shot up, startling the hell out of Starlett who squeaked in fright. His mouth dropped open, staring at her in absolute shock and a hint of disgust.

"This is a sick, twisted joke, right?" he asked, having absolutely no idea how he should feel about her revelation. "That can't be! N-not that Riley isn't amazing and appealing, but-"

_"Blaine!"_

"What? I'm just stating the obvious, don't get mad at me," he said, holding his hands up in self surrender. "I mean, I believe it, he's always.. weirdly infatuated and soft with her, but.."

"I know, don't remind me," she sighed, finally pulling herself together. "I'm not worried about that, okay? I'm more worried about the fact that he practically  _screamed_  it at her! What if someone heard his big freaking mouth? I-I don't want to think of anything else happening to her, I can't."

"Don't think about that, come on," Blaine said, rushing over to his dresser where he began to throw on some clothes. "Wait - wait.. His wives aren't on that floor, remember?"

Starlett frowned, nodding in agreement, "Yes, but-"

"How could anyone hear, though? We haven't had any issues with anybody. You'd think that if there were more wives involved, someone would have  _said_ something. I mean, aren't more than half of those girls married to him because they have no other choice? I doubt they have any true feelings for the guy."

"I thought none of those girls did, but clearly I was wrong," Starr said, seeing Blaine's shoulders slump in defeat. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do, do you really think either of them would be happy knowing I overheard their rather  _loud_  conversation?"

"You were doing what was asked of you, why should you be punished for that?" Blaine asked as he slipped on some jeans, watching her the entire time. "If Negan loves her like he says, shouldn't he be a  _little_ relieved that someone cares so deeply for her wellbeing?"

"This is Negan we're talking about, half of the time I doubt if he even cares whether or not her brother knows what's up. I doubt that my tenderness for her means anything to him, if that's the case."

"If it makes you feel any better, I never would have pegged Negan as the type to have feelings for anyone but himself.. Come on, we have something to take care of."

___

When Negan left for a few hours, Riley threw the covers off her body and stood up, having played asleep while Starr made a brief appearance before being sent away. She was tired of being cooped up in his room, wanting to get some fresh air and walk around the perimeter for a while and clear her head.

Negan somehow always managed to lock the door, even having Tyson or someone else stand guard outside. Riley doubted it was because he didn't want her escaping, she hoped it was mainly because he didn't want any more murderous wives to come in while Riley was left defenseless.

She slipped on her worn shoes, tucking the laces into the sides before going to the door, testing the knob. When it twisted all the way, she hesitated, afraid that someone would be on the other side to deny her exit. When she flung the door open a second later, she almost screamed in relief when the hall was empty.

If it weren't for her stitches, she would have flown down the hall and into the fresh air. Instead she had to take it easy, taking the staircase closest to Negan's room and tightly holding the railing as she descended from the sixth floor to ground level.

The sun outside was bright as it reflected off the color turned leaves that remained on the trees that started to go bare. There was nobody in sight it seemed, which Riley found to be extremely odd for this time of day. Perhaps it was the drastic change in weather that kept most people inside, but if their job required them to be out and about, why would someone disregard points for a little inclement weather?

Just across the Sanctuary, all of the residents were packed into the warehouse, waiting anxiously as Negan stared down at them from above, clutching Lucille tightly in his grasp while occasionally tapping her against the metal gate running across the balcony.

From below, Avriel stood next to Jackson, arms crossed as he looked up at the fearless leader who took his baby sister in after her vicious attack. There was a hint of gratitude in his eyes, though it was off putting being in such an uncomfortable and forced position of submission.

Riley made her way over to the loading deck, grabbing onto the railing of the steps as she made her way up. The emptiness of the Sanctuary was unnerving, but she knew if Negan would be anywhere, it would be here. Riley wasn't necessarily looking for him, but where there was Negan, there were always others.

From inside, Negan broke the silence and tension by finally speaking up. "A lot of you know of the events that have happened in the past week," he started off slow, making sure to meet the eyes of as many Saviors as he could. "One of our own was attacked by a few of my wives.. And here, that shit does  _not_  fly!"

The descent up the stairs proved difficult as Riley had to pause and sit on the top step, holding her stomach in discomfort. She felt that it wouldn't hurt as much had there not been stitches that pushed and pulled her belly as she moved her legs up and down to use the stairs. Going down them was much easier.

"As most of you know, Riley is rather..  _close_ to me," he said, his tone dropping significantly and making a collective shudder course through the anxious people below him. "An attack on her is an attack on myself, and I think it's time that I end this nonsense so it doesn't happen again."

The cool air felt nice against her face, enough to the point where Riley decided it wouldn't hurt to soak up some sun before disappearing back into a dark and dreary warehouse. She came out here to get  _away_  from the four walls and a roof.

"There was a time where I believed that having countless women at my beck and call was a sign of power. These beautiful woman that would answer to me, and me only. It was good for a while, until this fucking young woman opened my eyes and made me see it's not worth  _a damn."_

Blaine and Starr shared a look, having been pushing their way over to Avi and Jackson who were listening to Negan's speech. Avi's eyes were glossy, enough that the sight tugged at Starr's heartstrings. Blaine took her hand, leading the way until they finally stopped beside two of their best friends. Phoebe was nowhere to be found.

"I've realized that risking her life isn't fucking worth  _shit._ The point is, I have decided this morning in time that I am dismissing my wives of their service. They will return to their family, and be free to fuck whoever the fuck they want."

There was a series of gasps and chatter amongst the group below, much to Negan's annoyance. The low mumbling soon turned into full out conversations, as people realized this was actually happening and Negan wasn't joking in the slightest. Whatever happened to Riley hurt him deeply, and to protect her, he was giving up something he had always taken a sick means of gratification in since the day he became the leader.

"ENOUGH!" Negan yelled, slamming Lucille down on the railing and immediately causing everyone to fall quiet. He glared at them from above, displeased at their ignorance. Negan began to pace, rubbing his chin as he debated on where he should pick up.

"I have a badly injured young woman in my room as I speak," he decided, placing his hand back on the rail as he looked down at his loyal subjects. "I have absolutely no tolerance for violence against those who are close to me, especially of the female sort. I'm a hypocritical motherfucker, I can kill men left and right without batting an eye, but woman? Fuck, if there's another alternative, there's another alternative."

Riley allowed her eyes to close, letting her head gently fall on the cool metal door beside her. It was such a relief to finally be out of Negan's room that it made her want to cry.

"Many of you have been kept in the dark, so this is where I tell you that two of my wives are dead, along with another crazy bitch. I didn't kill them, no. They signed their own death wish the moment they started plotting against us, and it was my absolute fucking pleasure to give the order of having them burned until there is nothing left!"

The breeze was back, gently blowing her hair and making her sigh in content. Riley was so lost in the feels that she temporarily forgot about Negan, Jackson, and her injuries. She was at peace with herself for the first time in weeks, and she never wanted it to end.

"Believe me, had I been able to get my hands on those fucking disgraces, they would have  _wished_  they were dead. They crossed a line, and they're fucking  _dead._ It's no skin off my nose, I don't give two fucking shits for them-"

As Negan droned on inside, Riley was startled out of her slumber when the  _whoosh!_ of a silencer went off, before a stinging pain in her side made her gasp. She looked down, moving her arm to the side to see a rather large, white dart sticking out from the purple of her shirt.

"I got her," said Rosita, speaking into the walkie as Riley slumped over, the effects of the tranquilizer finally taking over her body and knocking her unconscious. "Hurry up, I don't know how much longer they'll be inside."

Negan was red in the face by the time he finished his lecture, making everyone on edge once again as he spoke about Riley's incident. Jackson watched as he started to calm himself down, angrily kicking at something that was left on the balcony. It flipped over the rail and plummeted to the ground, hitting the concrete with a loud _bang!_

Outside, two men from Alexandria lifted Riley up, placing her on a handmade carrier before carefully climbing down the steps, quickly taking off for the broken gate where Rick and Michonne were silently waiting in a truck, still debating on whether or not this was a good idea. As they loaded her in, Rosita climbed onto the bed with her, glaring down at the beautiful latina who had a rather fucked up infatuation with an even more fucked up man.

"Do you think this will make him cave?" Michonne asked quietly, looking down at her knee as Rick pulled away from the gates once the other two climbed into the backseat.

As they disappeared into a cloud of dust, Rick reached over and took her hand in a comforting manner, saying: "I honestly don't know what's going to happen," he answered honestly, briefly meeting her dark eyes with his vibrant blue ones. "All I know is that this girl means something to him, and as long as we have her, he'd do anything to keep her out of danger."

Back at the Hilltop, Daryl quietly sat on the porch of Gregory's house, picking at a hole in his jeans. Maggie sat beside him, finally happy that the group had been reunited and they were taking a stand against the Saviors.

"I think this is a bad idea," he said after a while, nervously meeting her eyes, quickly looking away before Maggie could get lost in his. "When I brought her up, I didn't think they'd want to capture her." he said, before frowning. It sounded better in his head, but out loud, it sounded just plain  _stupid._ What did he think was going to happen?

"This girl could be the answer to all our problems," Maggie said, feeling like they could have picked a better alternative, but they had to try whatever they could get. "We're not going to hurt her, but they're not allowed to know that."

"She's too good for 'im," Daryl said, still refusing to meet Maggie's concerned eyes. "What if this is all for nothin'? Negan is an asshole, he could turn on her, then we got nothin' against 'im."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. This isn't for nothing, Daryl. I don't know this girl, but you do, even if it's only a little. We have to do this. If not for Glenn and Abraham, then for ourselves."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun DUUUUUUN


	21. 20.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!! 
> 
> I guess the last chapter was all I really needed to get my writing groove back - I would just like to inform y'all that this will be the last update until I get back from vacation, so I'm prepared to get a variety of different responses after this chapter.

 

**_____ **

**_"I will find her, make no mistake about that."_ **

**___**

_HOUR ONE_

**___**

**IF NEGAN'S LOUD, CATTY SPEECH DIDN'T HAVE EVERYONE ON EDGE, THE REVELATION THAT RILEY IS MISSING CERTAINLY DID.**

It all started when everyone started piling out of the warehouse, heading back to their lives in the Sanctuary when a group of walkers made an appearance, causing fear and havoc all around as unarmed men, women, and children scrambled to get back to safety while Negan's men attempted to push through all the scrambling citizens to open fire and take care of the problem.

Negan trailed behind Dwight, standing at the rail from above, unknowingly standing in the same spot that Riley had just occupied minutes before. He quickly yelled out instructions, ordering them to take care of the dead while simultaneously forcing any able-bodied person to join in the fight or helping the others back inside without being trampled.

"ALICIA IS DEAD, SOMEONE SHOT HER!" one of the Saviors yelled from above, standing at the makeshift guard post where she had been taking watch. Negan glared at him unintentionally, tightly gripping Lucille in his hand before whipping around and bashing a walker smack dab on the head, dropping it quicker than a sack of potatoes.

"GET THAT FUCKING GATE FIXED! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED!?" he yelled angrily, having specifically instructed for at least one other person to stay on guard while everyone else was inside. The gate had been cut with wire cutters, in a perfect square that gave anyone easy access to their home. It could have been much worse, Negan deduced, thinking back to the most recent incident with the gate where the pole fell and put everyone in even more danger than what they faced right now.

"WE NEED ROPE-"

"KILL THESE MOTHERFUCKERS, WE ONLY NEED A FEW PEOPLE TO TIE IT UP FOR NOW."

Negan put down walker after walker, giving each and every one the same treatment: no mercy, and no tolerance for any of the like. The sound of brains being splattered against the concrete ignited a fire in him that fueled his anger for one thing; revenge on the fucked motherfuckers who crossed the path of the Saviors.

___

"Someone get the hose and get rid of this blood, I want this place looking like  _Disney on Ice_  by the time I get back."

Dwight nudged the guy beside him, silently telling him to do what was asked. There was an odd feeling that had been bubbling in his stomach that could no longer be ignored - all of this excitement kept everyone from the fact that there was the possibility of an intruder still lurking within the walls.

Without even confronting Negan, Dwight headed for the group of men and women who were piling the bodies of the dead onto a truck for disposal, yelling at them to stop. "FORGET THEM, WE NEED TO DO A SWEEP, THEY COULD STILL BE IN HERE!"

Negan was impressed, to put it bluntly. He hadn't even thought of that possibility, being so caught up in all of this shit that when everyone looked at him for confirmation he swung his beloved bat, stepping forward and beckoning for them to move closer.

"I want this to go as smoothly as all fucking possible. I want every single fucking nook and cranny searched, and if you happen to  _find_ the poor unfortunate soul - or souls," he paused, placing his hand on Simon's arm. His right hand man looked at him, seeing the intense fire of burning hatred in Negan's eyes. It was the ultimate kick in the ass he needed to make sure this went as quickly, yet thoroughly, as possible. Negan continued on, "That caused this fucking mess, you all know what to do." he finished, releasing his grip on Simon who stepped forward and started forming groups.

The metal door leading from housing swung open, banging against the wall of the factory and causing a few people to yell in fright. Negan swiveled around, not prepared to tolerate that type of shit, especially not now. When he was met with a panic-eyed Blaine and Starlett, he immediately stalled, recognizing that look.

"What's going on?" Negan asked them, finishing the trek over as people ran off in every possible direction. The hispanic woman always seemed to be close to tears anymore, Negan noticed, but decided not to comment.

"W-We can't find Riley, she's not in your room." Starr answered, her voice cracking as she rubbed her arm, an attempt to comfort herself.

"We checked in our room, all of the bathrooms, the cafeteria, nothing," Blaine informed their leader as they followed his frantic and quick footsteps to heaven knows where. "Nobody claims to have seen her, people were running all over the place to the point where we couldn't get anyone to stop."

"The windows in my room weren't broken, right?" Negan asked, dreading the idea of.. he couldn't even finish that thought, it was a six story drop.

"No, everything was fine, even the door was shut. She's just gone."

Negan cursed loudly, masking the relief he felt that she hadn't been suicidal after his self proclaimed confession of love from the night before. "There's only so many fucking places she could be, where are the others?" he asked, referring to the other two friends, and her brother who would share a similar feeling of absolute horror.. and anger.

_Nice fucking disappearing act, Riley. I worry enough about you as it is!_

When they made it back up to Negan's place, the silence was eerie as the trio stood in a perfect triangle; Negan's back to the couple as he quietly observed each and every crevice of the space he had been sharing with her the span of a week.

"Her jacket is still here," he noted, pointing to Riley's oversized black hoodie that she had brought with her when they took her group in over three months ago. "She's been wearing that a lot lately, says it makes her stomach feel better."

The couple shared a look, both of their eyes softening at the realization that what Starr heard Negan confess last night was true. His tone was soft, as if speaking to Riley herself, one that they could easily point out by being in and out of their company since her accident. Starr sniffled, feeling the tears continue to threaten her eyes.

"I just don't understand, why would she have left without telling anyone? I know she's spontaneous, but it doesn't seem like her to just disappear and not let anyone know where she is, let alone not tell  _someone_  something." Blaine said, taking a step closer to Starr, wrapping his arm around her in an attempt to comfort her tears. It seemed pointless to cry; Riley was safe, she had to be.

"I know that she's been eager to be outside," Starr finally spoke up, her shaky voice causing Negan to finally turn around and meet her eyes. "Carson made us tell her no for the first few days, but she just stopped asking."

"I wonder if she just went for a walk," Negan said, a frown crossing his features. ".. I'm sorry to shit on your eggs, kids, but even I can't fucking believe that. Blaine, give me that dandy walkie you have in your pocket." he ordered, reaching his free hand out. Blaine handed it over with a shaky hand, not losing his grip on Starr's body.

"Get that girl some water, she needs to relax." Negan said, before going over to his bed where the sheets were still messy. "She must have left in a rush, she always makes her bed." he said, grabbing the sheets and roughly tugging them off the bed, wanting to see if she left anything behind. Nothing. "Fuck!  _Dwight, Simon, someone fucking answer!"_ he spoke into the walkie, his tone becoming unsteady while he stared at the bed that had been occupied by Riley for days on end.

"It's Simon, boss, we haven't found anyone-"

"-That's fucking great, but we have another problem on our hands," Negan said, cutting off Simon who was standing right outside of the kitchen, listening to the sounds of the crew who were in the midst of preparing dinner. "Riley is nowhere to be found, has anyone seen her?"

Those who had a walkie immediately stopped what they were doing, giving their neighbors an alarmed look. Nobody has seen her, that much was true, but what were they supposed to say?

"N-Not that I know of, sir. I haven't seen her, that's for damn sure." Simon said, mentally kicking himself for his stutter. Simon never stuttered, he was a confident fucking leader, he didn't want to hesitate, it could go South rather quickly when Negan was involved.

"Has  _anyone_  seen her?" Negan asked again, his tone much more forceful and loud. Blaine's heart was pounding in his chest as he watched Starr quietly nurse her bottle of water, finally appearing to be calm, though she was raging on the inside.

There was a chorus of  _no's_  as people responded, each one sounding more melancholy than the last. Negan cursed loudly, wanting to throw that damn walkie at the wall and watch as it broke into itty bitty pieces. Instead he brought it back to his lips, ordering for them to start another search. "LOOK FOR HER, I DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT TAKES-"

Starlett suddenly shot up from Negan's couch, her bottle of water flying off her lap and ricocheting off the floor. It startled Blaine, who held his chest over his pounding heart. She had a sudden epiphany that needed to be shared, and  _now._

"The gate," she said, causing both men to look at her with confusion. She met their eyes, wondering why it didn't click with them as easily as it did with her. "The gate, someone cut it, and now she's missing-"

"Like.. she ran away?" Blaine asked, standing up straighter at this very possible outcome. "Why in the hell would she run away? She wouldn't just leave! If not for us, then for Avi."

Negan's eyes darkened, the thought of Riley being the one to destroy his property and leave everyone in danger by running away. It seemed like a possibility, but he didn't want to believe that she would risk the lives of her friends. Riley wasn't friends with everyone, per se, but she was a friendly person that had a lot of admirers, and Negan knew she wouldn't pull a shit stunt like this.

Having an epiphany of his own, Negan turned around and saw her backpack sitting in it's usual spot by the door. Starr had filled it up with all of Riley's books, leaving it here for when she got bored and wanted to read. The pieces slowly started to fall in place for Negan.

"You looked in your room, right?" Negan asked, directing this question at Blaine, who nodded with a furrowed brow. "Yeah, why?"

"Were her other belongings there? Besides the books?"  _and whatever other shit she has._

"Her pictures and journals are, yeah. What does that?-"

Unlike her significant other, Starr immediately knew where Negan was getting at. "She wouldn't have left her stuff.. I forgot about her backpack, I know for a fact that she would have stuffed that thing full before leaving, especially her pictures."

"Wait, wait," Blaine held his hand up, causing the only female in the room to go silent. "If she didn't run away, then.."

Negan had swung open the door before he could finish that sentence, storming down the hall and yelling into the walkie. "SHE WAS FUCKING TAKEN, GET THE FUCKING PATROL CARS READY. We're going to hunt some motherfuckers down!"

**___**

**_HOUR TWO_ **

**___**

Riley's head was fuzzy as she woke; her eyes opening slow and disoriented once the effects of the tranquilizer started to fade. There was a different, pulsating pain in her side where the needle pierced her skin, as if she were an animal that escaped from the zoo.

"Please, she's dead to the world, she isn't going to hear anything."

Riley laid still, realizing that her head was at an angle, looking directly at the wall beside her cot. The voice was familiar, that much was for sure. It was feminine and full of anger, meaning it had to belong to the woman otherwise known as Rosita.

_Two Latinas who hate each other, what a surprise._

"Check again to make sure, this could be bad if she overhears any of this." Rick said coldly, earning a huff from the ill-tempered woman next to him. The sound of footsteps drew closer, and on instinct, Riley shut her eyes, stilling all possible movement that could give her away.

Rosita approached the cot, peering over Riley's shoulder and seeing that she was still conked out. Rosita didn't quite feel a bit of remorse for what she did, believing that as long as she was dating Negan, she was equally as responsible for the death of Glenn, and more importantly, the death of Abraham that caused her to lose sleep each and every night. How could  _anyone_ sit back and watch this cruel man take the lives of the innocent.. Especially being as young as she is, shouldn't she have more morals than the average adult?

"She's gone, Rick."

"I want to know what your plan is, Rosita," the older man said in a condescending manner, his tone earning him a piercing glare from Rosita who stepped away from the cot and moved to stand in front of him. "We have her here, and more likely than not the Saviors are going to make their rounds."

"How do they know it's us? It could have been anybody, I'm sure she's been flaunting herself around as much as she could."

Riley opened one eye, glaring at the wall in the shade of beige.  _That's awfully rude, I don't understand why you hate me so much._

"It's them, and there's  _us._ The only communities around here are Hilltop and the Kingdom, if they don't come here first, they'll be here searching  _every possible place they can reach_ either way-"

"What have you been telling everyone?" Rosita snapped, crossing her arms. "The only reason why I suggested this was because Daryl said she's close with Negan, why wouldn't we take this chance? I'm not suggesting we cut off her hand and send it to him, but we have an  _advantage_  here just by having her in our control!"

"I realize this, but we need to consider the possibilities here-"

"WHAT possibility, Rick!? That he won't come looking for her? That he'd leave her on her own? That's  _bullshit_ , and you know it!"

"Watch your fucking attitude, I understand where you're getting at, but we don't know  _what's going to happen,_ we have to think of ourselves now."

"We should have done this from the start, Rick!"

The silence soon became unbearable for both parties. Rosita went to look out the window, paying Rick nor Riley any attention. Rick sighed in defeat, running his hand over the scruff of his chin while he contemplated what to say next.

".. I  _loved_ Abraham, even if he didn't feel the same about me. I want Negan to pay for what he did."

**___**

The chilly October weather ruffled Negan's hair as they stood outside of the gates of the Sanctuary, everyone waiting for Negan to give the final word. For the first time in a long time, Riley's quartet stepped out of the walls, all of them armed with guns or knives. Blaine stood proudly beside Avriel, followed by Starr, Jackson, and Phoebe.

"We're ready whenever, sir." Simon whispered as he stood next to the leader, not missing the unusual emptiness in Negan's eyes.

Negan nodded solemnly, standing up to face the crowd of loyal followers. "This is how it's going to work. I have a hunch on what happened, but there's only one of me to go around. There's six vehicles, I want two at Hilltop, two at the Kingdom, and the other two with me at Rick the Pricks."

"I understand that we have a little contract with the Kingdom, but this is a serious motherfucking matter. I want Ezekiel questioned, see what he knows. If it looks like he's hiding something, I want you all to storm the gates. If not, leave peacefully, and don't fuck it up. I want open ears at the Hilltop and Alexandria, I don't know all of their means of communication, I don't want them getting notice that we're all looking for her."

"She was wearing a purple shirt," Starr piped up, her tone oozing confidence as everyone watched her with piqued interest. "A dark purple shirt and gray sweatpants. If that's not any indication, look at her hair. It's hard to miss that color of blonde."

A few people smiled, mainly her friends and Laura (who really liked the younger woman). Negan nodded, ordering everyone to get a move on.

"Let's go! I don't want this taking forever, we need to get her home. I will find her, make no mistake about that."

**___**

**_HOUR THREE_ **

**___**

"Don't even bother trying to move, you won't get that far."

Riley attempted to move her hands, only to find that they were handcuffed to the bed. Her feet met the same fate, barely able to lift them a centimeter from their resting spot on the lumpy excuse for a bed.

"Your boy toy isn't here yet, if you'd like to know."

"Why are you doing this?" Riley asked coldly, moving her head to where she was now looking at Rosita. She completely ignored the jab at her relationship with Negan, wanting to appear indifferent. After all, she already knew the reason why she was here. With or without Rick's conversation, she would have been able to put two and two together. "I have nothing to do with what your people did."

Rosita rolled her eyes, standing up from her chair by the window and standing next to the bed, still out of arm's reach. "Boo hoo, I can honestly care less what you have to say. You're only here because we're tired of kissing Negan's ass, perhaps he'll think twice about crossing us next time."

Riley fought the urge to roll her eyes as well, fighting hard not to say the exact words that were currently on her mind. It didn't seem at all likely that Negan was going to just let this slide; it would only further fuel the fire in making the lives of the Alexandrians a living hell. Why these people thought they had any chance at getting back at him was beyond her. This was all one huge accident waiting to happen.

"Why do you hate me so much, can you answer me that?" Riley asked, trying to get whatever she could out of Rosita that would help her later on.. Once Negan and his men swooped in and saved her ass. She was so focused on making sure she didn't get herself killed that the pain in her belly went ignored, for the first time in days.

The older Latina sighed in great annoyance, turning around and going to the door where she swung it open, soon using her boot to keep it from closing again. "I already told you why you're here. Don't make this about me, I'm not the one mingling with the devil."

When the door clicked shut behind her, Riley sighed at her sad attempt at getting answers out of one of her many captors.  _Negan would be so embarrassed for you._

"Don't be ridiculous, Rick. It's collection day! I hope you and your very hospitable crew over there cooked up some good shit for us, especially after all of the  _free_  time you've had up your sleeve." Negan whispered to the head honcho of Alexandria, making sure to maintain eye contact the entire time. Rick shuffled awkwardly, seeing Rosita come outside from the corner of his eye.

"You're three days early, why is that?" he asked Negan, stuffing his hands in his pockets in an attempt to keep from manhandling the man standing in front of him with the stupid grin on his face.

"I was getting a little antsy sitting around my home all day, sometimes all of those beautiful women get to be too much. You wouldn't know that, would you Rick?" he whispered, his grin becoming impossibly bigger once Rick looked at him with nothing but disgust. "Oh, don't give me that look! I was only  _joking."_

Negan was one hell of an actor, that's for damn sure. He wasn't about to let Rick know that his harem of wives had been dismissed, especially since his son, Carl, had taken a grand tour of life at the Sanctuary and met all of the girls that never once meant shit to him. He wasn't stupid enough to believe that Rick wasn't at all suspicious at Negan's sudden appearance at his front gate, so he made sure to keep that in mind as he refused to acknowledge Riley's disappearance and his suspicions of Rick's people being the ones behind it.

Riley continued to lay in her cot, her arms aching to fall down to her sides as it had to at least been a few hours since she was taken here against her will. Wherever she was, it was very quiet that she couldn't even hear the birds outside, if there were any.

The door to her room suddenly flung open, startling her. Her head whipped to the side, seeing two people she didn't recognize. One being a tall, pale man with short hair that had a slight curl to it, and the other being a broad shouldered black man with a bald head. The shorter one stared at her, a look of slight guilt flashing in his eyes before they both stepped forward, one heading for the end of the bed and the other heading for the top.

"What are you doing?" Riley asked in a panic as they started to lift up the cot, intent on taking her somewhere else for hiding. Negan and the Saviors had arrived much quicker than they anticipated. "Why am I here!? Put me down!" she cried out, not allowing them to move very far as she began to thrash as much as she could, ignoring the pulling pains from being bandaged and handcuffed.

"Knock that shit off!" the bald man yelled, quickly dropping his end of the cot to the floor, making her squeak in fright.

"Denny, stop!" the other man said, giving Denny an icy glare before setting his end of the bed down as well. "You're being moved, that's all-"

"I don't know about you, Aaron, but I'm not about to be seen moving her by that fucker Negan. I would like to live, thank you very much!" he hissed, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a roll of duct tape. At the sight, Riley's eyes widened, moving her head from side to side as he ripped a piece off with his teeth.

"Denny!-"

"Shut up and hold her down!" Denny demanded, throwing the rest of the roll onto the floor, the tape rolling underneath the empty desk, the only other thing in the room besides the cot and the chair Rosita had been sitting in. Aaron wanted to argue, but kept his mouth shut, leaning forward and grabbing Riley's head with his hands and holding it straight.

"Make even the tiniest of sounds, and you will regret it!" Denny hissed at her when the tape was in place, giving her a glare that showed he wasn't messing around. Aaron watched silently, already against this in so many ways. Riley felt truly lost now, and fought the urge to cry as they lifted her up once again, leading her out into the hallway and into the unknown.

_**___** _

_**HOUR FOUR** _

_**___** _

Avriel Taylor was bouncing on his heels as Negan continued to go around, deciding to start taking even more supplies from Alexandria. Much like the other three, this was his first time being here. Jackson was anxious, nervously pacing around while everyone else went around, acting like they were looking for supplies while they were actually looking for Riley.

"What is he doing?" Phoebe whispered, her hands tucked underneath her arms as she walked around the lot in circles with Blaine and Starr who hadn't left each other's side since leaving home. Blaine had been here quite a few times in recent months, that he could walk around with his eyes closed and end up exactly where he intended. "They could be torturing Riley as we speak.."

"I think he has a plan, we need to lay low until he says otherwise." Blaine told them, keeping his voice low while making sure nobody was around to eavesdrop. They were being ignored, which was exactly what they wanted.

"I just want to get Riley and go home, it's like she can never catch a break since we met Negan." Starr sighed, seeing Negan trailing behind Rick, his face hard. "Maybe this is the universe telling us something.."

"Negan! Over here!"

Phoebe darted forward before either of the two could catch her, jogging towards the two men who quickly turned around, Rick's blue eyes wide while Negan only stared at the much shorter woman with an intense look of curiosity and eagerness.

"This better be good, Phoebe-"

Blaine and Starr finally caught up, standing a few feet away, unsure of what Phoebe's true intentions were. Rick watched in silence, his hand inching towards his empty gun holster that once held his colt python.

"We're out of  _stitches,_  did you find any?" she asked calmly; the perfect poker face.

"I don't believe I have, little lady," Negan replied, relieved that some of his people were smart enough not to blow their cover. "I have a few people looking as we speak, how about you go on ahead and join them?"

"If I may be blunt, wouldn't it be a good idea to look places other than the infirmary? You did say that we take what we need, wouldn't it make sense to look  _everywhere?"_

"That sounds pretty damn good to me! Go ahead, I'll hold down the fort here, Rick and I were just having a heart to heart-" he joked, continuing on with his teasing while Blaine tuned him out, turning around to hide his smile. 

"Holy shit, she's a genius." Starlett whispered, following after them once Phoebe started heading towards the nearest house, Negan yelling orders at anyone within earshot to do the same. 

_**___** _

_HOUR FOUR AND A HALF_

**___**

_"LEMMEAUT!"_

Riley yelled against the tape, hoping for anyone within earshot would be able to hear. The jail cell was completely different from the rooms Negan would lock you in: she felt like she was actually in jail, complete with the iron bars, her cot, and a toilet. There was no sink, surprise. They probably figured that the more you used the bathroom without washing your hands, you'd probably just die from all of the bacteria crawling all over you. One less problem for the Alexandrians to deal with, that's for sure.

Aaron and Denny had left rather quickly after dropping her in the cell, making sure to lock the gate, as if she were able to escape the handcuffs that had officially dug into her skin. The smell of rust was evident, from the warm and sticky fluid that slowly oozed out of her hands. It hurt, quite frankly, but Riley just couldn't stop herself from trying to escape.

"SOMEONE, LEMMEAUT!"

With a final huff of annoyance, Riley settled against the bed, her back aching from all of the arching and squirming she had been doing for the past half an hour. It was only pointless, she was down in some cell. Nobody was going to find her.

All of her friends were up above, searching for her - if Riley had this knowledge, perhaps she would continue with the fight.

Riley was never one to lose hope easily, even after the world went to shit and her parents died. With the exception of Blaine, she was the most optimistic of the group, even surpassing Avi who took third place. She knew that in Starr's eyes, as long as Blaine was alive and well, she could live to fight another day as well.

With this, though, she wasn't sure how she was going to get out of this.. Until an idea popped into her head.

Riley opened her mouth as wide as she could, wincing when the stitching of her lip pulled against the tape. She began to run her tongue along the adhesive, figuring that if she can get it loose enough for it to go limp, she could yell in hopes of catching someone's attention. Denny left her in the unknown; he said he didn't want Negan to spot them moving her, but that could have been if he happened to turn up by chance - but he was insistent that she stay quiet, and if that didn't make up her mind, she wasn't sure what would.

___

"I'm tired of playing around, we have to find her!" Avi whispered, his tone harsh as he finally succeeded in pulling Negan aside to express his displeasure at their progress with finding Riley. The search at the Kingdom was a bust, according to Dwight who had informed all of them by walkie. They were still waiting on word from Hilltop, where Simon was conducted a thorough search, despite Gregory's usual displeasure.

"Do not make me splatter your brains on this concrete!" Negan hissed, bringing Lucille up to the other man's face to further prove his point. "I'm not prepared to tolerate that kind of attitude, not now, not ever! I understand how you feel, but we cannot let them know anything is up. I'm sure they already have a pretty good fucking idea, but we don't need something happening to her in a spur of the moment!"

"Then what's going to happen when we find her? I doubt that we're going to get out of this unscathed."

"You're her brother, and you're going to make sure she gets out of here alive, aren't you?" Negan asked, lightly tapping Lucille against Avi's clothed shoulder. Thankfully his jacket was thick enough he only felt a light pat.

"I'd do anything for her, that's what brothers do."

Negan smirked, stepping away from Avi and continuing on his way, shouldering Lucille with that stupid smirk the entire time.

Avi continued on his trek, hoping to catch one of the very few friendly faces from their small group of friends.  _Someone had to have found something, I refuse to believe otherwise!_

The faint sound of a feminine yell immediately stopped him in his tracks. In the distance, two tall men were standing side by side, watching Negan from afar as he closed in on Rick and the others. The one with ebony skin turned his head, seeing Avi watching them and he glared, nudging the curly haired man beside him.

Just as he heard it again, his blood ran cold at the realization that it sounded just like Riley. The two men were now watching him, leaving him unnerved at the simple fact that they knew something he didn't. Avi turned around, heading back the way he came as an idea quickly began to form in his head.

___

HOUR FIVE

___

"YOU FOUND HER!?"

 _"Shhh!"_  Avi shushed Starr, grabbing her arm as she clasped her hand over her mouth to quiet her squeals of excitement. The other three immediately brightened up at the revelation, starting to whisper excitedly while bombarding Avi with questions.

"Guys, guys! We have to be quiet, I only heard her voice, and it was very faint, I don't know where she is exactly-"

".. That's great, but how are we supposed to get her out?" Jackson asked, having already overlooked his hatred for what happened between Negan and Riley, just wanting her to be returned home safely. His heart ached for her.

"I think these two guys know where she is, they were staring at me when I was in front of the house where I'm sure I heard her voice."

"How can you know it's her? It's not exactly a secret that there's women here, if you know what I mean." Blaine said, a frown on his face as his excitement slowly faded into nothing.

"I know what Riley sounds like, I've only been her brother the past twenty years - look, there they are! Don't make it-"

Four pairs of heads turned around simultaneously, looking back at the two men that Avi believed to be her captors. He facepalmed, grumbling their names in disappointment. "Guys, try not to be so suspicious, yes?"

There was a chorus of apologies as they turned back around, looking at Avi as if he were the leader.. He could be, after all. He had nine years on Riley and only two on Phoebe who already looked up to him as it was. Age never mattered, but he knew that they'd do just as he'd say to get her back.

"We have to find a way to get back to that house," Avi whispered, beckoning them to follow him. "We need them to be distracted; not us, that will just tip them off. We need to get a few guys who would love to keep them occupied while we find a way to get to wherever she's at."

"We need to ask Skinny Joey, maybe Billy and Dave, they can be assholes without even trying," Blaine offered, having been stuck with them a few times before. It was never a pleasurable experience. "Should we inform Negan?"

"We're gonna have to, maybe he can help us-"

"I'm under the impression that we're supposed to keep from causing a scene, Negan probably already has our entire revenge planned out for decades," Jackson said, interrupting Starr who only pressed her lips together and fell silent. "We go to him, tell him what Avi knows, and we listen to what he says-"

"No, I'm in charge of that, I know what needs to be done. Trust me," Avi said, coming to a halt once Aaron and Denny left their sights. "Of course we're going to tell him, but Riley's rescue is ours, not his. This is what we're going to do.."


	22. 21.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! i try to write whenever i can, whether it's a time issue or a personal issue, but i am still very well continuing this story and all of my other ones. some of my inspiration came back with the season 8 premiere, and hopefully another good episode will come this sunday!  
> (it is my birthday after all)
> 
> i know it's short, but it's leading to a lot more. :)
> 
> love you guys!!

**___**

HOUR FIVE

**___**

**RILEY CRIED SILENTLY; TEARS STREAMING STEADILY DOWN HER FACE WITH NO END.** The tape was stuck to one corner of her lip, flapping every time she opened her mouth to yell for help. She missed everyone, she just wanted to go home... 

The sun outside had started to set, Riley was able to tell through the tiny window that was placed above her bed, little particles of dust floating through the air as the suns rays seemed to go right through the room to the other corner. 

It made her wonder how many people have actually been kept in here. 

Up above, Avi peeked in the window, feeling Blaine's presence beside him as they held their guns at the ready, fully prepared to take a shot at anyone who attempted to keep them from saving his sister. 

"Can you see anything?" Blaine asked, keeping an eye out for any possible witnesses. Lucky for them, Denny and Aaron had walked away, making their job just a little bit easier. 

"I'm not sure, it looks empty from here..." 

Riley frowned, hearing very faint voices from above. A shadow fell onto the wall and the bars and the blob made it look as if the person was kneeling. Riley's lips trembled as she debated on calling out for help: it could be a test or whoever was up there could actually help her out... but she was taken, what Alexandrian would want to help  _her?_

"It doesn't help this window is grimy as fuck, you'd think someone would attempt to keep it clean..." Avi mumbled, running a finger carefully along the glass, catching dust and dirt particles on the tip of his finger. "It's a cell, I can tell that much for sure,"

"I guess we're not the only ones with holding cells..." 

Avi stood up, clutching his gun tightly in his hand. "We have to at least get down there, maybe there's another room down there I just can't see."

The two men walked around the corner, meeting up with the two girls and Jackson who was kneeling down, sticking something into the lock. Starr turned around, a hopeful look in her eyes, "So?"

"I couldn't see her, but we're going down there either way," he said, not missing the disappointment that flashed in their eyes, even Blaine who had already heard the news. "There's only so many places she could be, and nobody else is having any luck."

"I'm not having any luck either, this damn pin won't unlock it!" Jackson hissed, standing up and looking at the hairpin Phoebe had offered him that was now bent. 

"We can kick the door open?" Starr offered.

"It will make too much noise, we're trying to be on the down-low..." Blaine said.

Avi sighed loudly, tilting his head up to look at the sky, only to notice an open window up above. A lightbulb went off in his head, "... Any of you know how to climb?"

**___**

Rosita angrily stormed away from the group, not able to take any more of Negan and his men taking their belongings and supplies. She had already fucked up a while ago; shooting at Negan and missing, resulting in Eugene being taken and Olivia being killed. She knew that if she were to stay she'd only make another grave mistake, resulting in who knows what.

She approached Aaron, who was nervously standing to the side and watching the Saviors. "Where is she?" she whispered, feeling like she should at least see if she was moved like requested.

"She's down in the cell, Denny taped her mouth shut,"

_"Denny?_ You let  _Denny_ handle her?"

"He was the only one who could! Everybody else is running around here with their tail between their legs, I couldn't carry the bed all by myself!" 

Rosita rolled her eyes, walking towards the building where Morgan had built the cell. The sight of the door hanging wide open stopped her in her tracks.

**___**

Avi carried Riley out, clutching her head in his hand, shoving her tear-stained face into his neck. Blaine and Starr led the way with Jackson and Phoebe covering the end, their guns loaded and ready to fire if needed. Avi could feel Riley's heart beating rapidly against his chest. 

"We'll get you out of here, I promise!" Avi whispered reassuringly, prepared to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. 

"Where are we going to go?!" Starr asked, walking side by side with her boyfriend who was relieved to find that Riley hadn't been seriously injured: who knows what they might have done to her had they not found her in time. 

"We all know Negan won't let us leave without making a scene, so we might as well just bring her to him," Jackson offered, avoiding the look Avi shot his way just as they turned the corner. "At least let us _show_  him we have her, I just want to get the hell out of here."

"I agree..." Phoebe said, her small voice piping up for the first time in a while. 

"Well,  _what_  do we have here!?" 

"I guess it doesn't matter now?" Blaine mumbled. 

_"We_  found her, and I want to get her out of here!" Avi exclaimed as Negan and Simon walked over to the group, watching as Riley trembled in her older brothers grasp.

"Will do. Simon, get the others rounded up, I have a little message I'd like to deliver to Rick..."

Before anyone could move, Rosita ran right for them, closely followed by Rick, Michonne, Aaron, Denny, and multiple others who looked an even mix of angry and scared. Negan glared at them, quickly shouldering Lucille whose barbed wire glistened in the setting sun. "I see you found something of mine, Rick!"

"We had our reasons!" Rick called back, slowing to a stop and stepping in front of Rosita and the others, his eyes falling on the heat the smaller group in front of him was packing. 

"If I remember correctly, you stole her right from my home! I don't take too kindly to you coming into  _my_  territory and taking what doesn't  **belong**  to you."

Rick placed his hands on his hips, "That doesn't sound familiar to you at all?"

Negan chuckled, seeing his men approaching from the corner of his eye. "Ahh, Rick, you brought this on yourself! The sweet girl you stole off my property? She hasn't done shit, and I personally believe you  _are_  shit for dragging her into this!"

Rick sighed, running a hand over his face. This wasn't how this was supposed to go, not at all. 

"I took one of your guys, so you take one of mine... I shouldn't be so surprised Rick, though not as surprised as you to find out that Eugene  _likes_  working for me. You  _really_ screwed yourself over by letting him leave, I bet you never let him use that fucking Einstein brain of his.  _What. A. Shame."_

Riley turned her head, looking at Negan as he leaned back, letting Lucille dangle to the side.  _He'll hurt himself if he keeps doing that._

The looks on their faces weren't at all funny, yet Negan and most of the Saviors laughed at their expense. It was the look of true betrayal. 

"You're lying!" Rosita screamed, taking a step forward, despite Michonne reaching out to grab her arm. "Eugene would never betray us!"

Negan shrugged, "I can't force you to believe me, darling, but something tells me you'll find out the truth soon enough."

Riley wiggled in Avi's arms, silently asking to be put down. He was hesitant at first, knowing she had been tied up for almost six hours straight and all of the emotional trauma didn't help much. She gave him a pleading look, which he silently nodded and carefully set her down, keeping a firm grip on her while she steadied her footing. Every pair of eyes turned to look, including Negan whose gaze immediately softened at the sight of her.

"Look at that! Even while crying, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my goddamn life! And you know what, Rick? Since we're the only ones with guns, I think it would be safe to say you wouldn't try anything stupid as I escort that young lady home, now will you?"

Rick swallowed, turning his head slightly and meeting the eyes of Michonne who only shook her head in distress. 

"What do you say to that, Rick? Hmm?"

"I-I think that's best..." 

"I'm glad you agree, and normally I'd kill one of your people to prove how _glad_  I am, but I don't quite think I'm in the mood for that," Negan said cheerfully, and you could see the relief in the postures of the Alexandrians. 

"... Simon, how about you take your pick?" he then said, causing a collective gasp in the air that soon into protests. The group looked at each other, unsure of how they felt about this. Riley shook her head, taking a step forward, only to be held in place by Avi. 

_"Negan-"_ Rileyhissed, "L-Let's just out of here."

Avi kept the firm grip on her arm, not wanting her to get hurt in case somebody decided to start firing shots into the crowd of Alexandrians. Riley shrugged him off, angry that she was kidnapped, angry at Rosita for using her as bait, and angry that Negan couldn't just be happy she was alive and standing right in front of him. 

"I think it's wise that you listen to her, we don't want to cause any trouble," Michonne stated, worry evident in her voice. Negan looked at her, his hard eyes staring at her in disbelief; for her blatant lie and her courage for speaking out against him. 

"I don't know what fucking  _backward,_ stupid as shit places you guys come from but taking somebody hostage is  _not_ what you do if you're trying to avoid trouble." 

After an uncomfortable silence, Negan continued on, "In fact, I bet I know exactly what it was you were trying to do - and that was hoping I'd grovel on my knees for her to be returned and ultimately break my ties with you  _wonderful_ people!"

Riley shifted underneath the uncomfortable gaze of a few people who decided to stare at her in pure hatred. 

___

HOUR SIX

___

"They actually let you drive a car?"

"Yeah, after I've begged them to for weeks they finally cracked," 

Riley smiled a little, rubbing the dry, crusty blood from her wrists. After Negan declared war on Alexandria, everyone piled into their cars to head back and prepare for the oncoming battle. It was a very scary thought, how does one just go on with their day with the imminent threat of death and destruction in the near future, no matter how skilled and prepared they were? 

"Negan is never going to let me outside after this," Riley sighed, worried that he ordered for her to be led away, not once looking at her again or saying even a peep. She wasn't supposed to be out and about anyway... She went against his wishes, and this is what happened. 

"At least you won't be a part of this war that has started, even if we have all of these guns against them I'm sure they'll find the means to fight back,"

"All of this just needs to be over, I don't understand why Negan can't  _try_ and get along with these communities. Can you imagine how **strong**  we'd all be together?"

As they started driving back to their compound, Avi and Starr sitting quietly in the backseat, everyone listened to the sounds of the tires on the pavement and the sounds of their quiet breathing. Starlett looked around at her friends, and most importantly, her boyfriend whose eyes were concentrated on the road ahead.

"Can you imagine what it would be like if we never came to the Sanctuary?" 

Her words lingered heavily in the air as everyone looked at each other, nobody knows what to say at the idea of them still being on their own, probably hiding out at some little cabin in the woods. It took Riley a moment to remember that Gus would probably still be there as well. 

**_If it wasn't for Gus where would we be right now?_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did my best to spell check, hopefully, there are little to no errors because i was too excited to publish this - its been months.


End file.
